(Top) A still from old Oriya film and dancers perform at the 75th year celebrations of Oriya cinema organised by Film Development Corporation Limited in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 7: The platinum jubilee of Oriya cinema was celebrated at a function held by the Orissa Film Development Corporation Limited (OFDC) at Exhibition Ground on Sunday evening. The event inaugurated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, was attended by many personalities from the film industry.

Unveiling a logo for the 75 years of Oriya film industry, Patnaik said a film policy would soon be adopted by the government.

“Like in Assam and West Bengal, Orissa too will soon have a film policy to promote the growth of films in the state,” he said.

Since the state had only a handful of film halls, the policy would help finance mini cinemas at block level, added minister of industries, Raghunath Mohanty.

Cultural programmes were also organised on the occasion. A documentary made by Bapu Lenka about the history of Oriya cinema was also screened on the occasion. The short film showed various times that the Oriya film industry has witnessed. “I have tried to cover the 75 years of Oriya cinema in 17 minutes,” said Lenka.

However, missing of prominent films from the parallel cinema category that had earned fame for the state by being screened at various national and international film festivals, irked many veteran film makers.

“Neither a clip nor a scene, a still or a sentence about films that stand out in the history of Oriya cinema were shown in the documentary,” said Nirod Mohapatra, whose film Maya Miriga, screened worldwide at film festivals including the Cannes film festival, is considered a masterpiece by many film critics across the country.

“Names of many film makers were only carried in a scroll without even referring to the films that have won laurels like the National award for the state including classics like Mala Janha,” he said.

A couple of cultural programmes like dance show and comedy were also presented on the occasion.

A film screening of classics and recipients of National awards has also been organised as a part of the celebration at Idcol Auditorium.

Films like Ghanshyam Mohapatra’s Kanak Lata, Nirod Mohapatra’s Maya Miriga, Manmohan Mohapatra’s Klanta Aparanha were screened on Monday at Idcol Auditorium while other films like Susanta Mishra’s Indra Dhanura Chhai and Nitai Palit’s Mala Janha will be screened on Tuesday. Viewers at the screening on aMonday seemed disappointed with the arrangements. “I came to know about the screening only an hour ago since there was no proper publicity.

Moreover, the film to be screened at 1.30pm was screened at 2.30pm with the director sitting and waiting for the organisers, none of whom were to be seen around,” said Dibya Kanta, a viewer.

Many films will be screened at the KIIT Auditorium on March 9 and 10.