Bhubaneswar: To create awareness on road safety issues to reduce the road accidents and fatalities, State Transport Authority (STA) today formally launched the 2nd edition of National Road Safety Short Film Festival.
The entries are now open for the Film Festival and the participants can submit their entry by November 17, 2023.
Filmmakers, amateur film enthusiasts and students can submit their entries. The film can be a documentary, experimental, narrative, fiction, non-fiction or animation.
The original film should be in FULL HD (1920×1080) format or above. Total duration of film can be maximum 120 seconds (2 minutes) in length, including front and end credits. Filmmakers can mail their entry via Google drive or We Transfer Link to roadsafetyshortfilms@gmail.com.
Film screenings will be organized at Berhampur (December 1, 2023), Sambalpur (December 4) and Angul (December 7). The grand finale of the festival will be held in Bhubaneswar on December 12, 2023.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of the festival, Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu said, “Every life is precious. Road safety is a high priority area for our Government. Short Films can be an effective tool of communication for spreading the message of Road Safety.”
Addressing the gathering, DGP Sunil Bansal said, “As a society we have become insensitive to road accident deaths. Road accidents and fatalities related to it are like slow haemorrhage. Over speeding is the root cause of many road accidents. Road safety is a shared responsibility. Together we can make a difference.”
Earlier during his welcome address, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur said the festival offers an unbiased and a democratic space to storytellers, who are willing to share their ideas about road safety through the audio-visual medium.
Like last year, the festival will be in two categories- Odia language & Non-Odia language, subtitles in English must for all the entries. The festival will offer cash prizes in different categories worth Rs 8 lakhs plus, he informed.
Winners will be selected by a judging panel of film industry professionals and non-industry professionals, luminaries from different walks of life.
In an attempt to sensitize people on road safety, the Transport Department organised the first edition of National Road Safety Short Film Festival in 2022 a first-of-its-kind event in the country. The festival was a huge success, beyond expectations. A total of 230 entries were received in 6 languages from 8 states.
It was appreciated by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety and was adjudged as one of the best practices for Road Safety awareness.
