Bhubaneswar, Jan. 20: Odia film Capital I, co-produced by Susant Mishra and Swastik Choudhury and directed by city-based filmmaker Amartya Bhattacharyya, has been officially selected for the South Asian Alternative Film Festival to be held in Paris. It is the only Odia film at the festival and the first independent feature film from Odisha.

Known for his film Indradhanura Chhai that had won international acclaim, Mishra has also played a leading role in the feature film, working in front of the camera for the first time. Shot with a DSLR camera and a tripod and on a shoestring budget; the film deals with subtle emotions and detailed portrayal of the human mind in a surreal way. The script is bold and the film includes an outspoken portrayal of a lesbian relationship.

In 2014, Capital I was screened at the 13th Chalachitra Utsav in Dhaka, Bangladesh and at West Florida Film Festival, USA apart from few other screenings in and around Bhubaneswar.

Software engineer by profession, Bhattacharyya had made a few short films earlier such as Niloye Jokhon and Boba Mukhosh that had won appreciation. Capital I is his debut feature film and he is thrilled about Paris.

'Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai had won the competition last year. I feel lucky that my film will be screened twice at the fest on February 5 and 6,' Bhattacharyya said.

There are only six films that have made it to the final round of the competition. The other films are widely acclaimed like Goli Soda, Lucia, Teenkahon, Titli and Zinda Bhaag. Titli, for example, under the banner of Yash Raj Films, made it to the Cannes Film Festival last year. Zinda Bhaag, starring Naseeruddin Shah was Pakistan's official entry to the Oscars while Lucia by Pawan Kumar has been one of the most acclaimed films from south India in recent times.

Renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's will be present at the opening ceremony, where his film That Girl in Yellow Boots will be screened.

'I have been invited and in all probability I will be in Paris to attend the event,' said Bhattacharyya, whose films have recently been screened at various film festivals round the world. His fantasy documentary Shiuli: In Search Of My Goddess has been screened at festivals in various parts of Europe, including Germany, Portugal, Italy, Scotland, Belarus and Romania. Niloye Jokhon, dealing with the life of a prostitute searching for her dignity and respect was well received at the Human Rights Film Festivals held at Barcelona in Spain, New York and Paris towards the end of 2014.

Bhattacharyya's recent fantasy documentary Benaras: The Unexplored Attachments has also been officially selected and will have its international premiere on February 21 at the Sahar International Short Film Festival 2015 at Greater Manchester in UK.