Bhubaneswar, Dec. 18: Odia film-maker Snehasis Das's works - React Aloud, Catch Me If You Can and A for Apple- have been selected for the Golden Sun Short Film Festival to be held in Malta from January 4 to 12. All the three films deal with various social issues.

A for Apple is a social commentary on child labour that focuses on the role of a community in ensuring a safe childhood.

The film has already won an award at the Woodpecker International Film Festival in New Delhi.

Catch Me If You Can revolves around the importance of water conservation for farmers, while React Aloud showcases how women should come forward and fight against crimes committed against them.

"Such screenings help a film-maker reach out to a wider audience. Youngsters in the industry should send their films to as many festivals as possible so that they could broaden their networks and meet creative people from across the world," Bhubaneswar resident Das said.

Many of his films have been selected for various international and national film festivals. His animated film The Thirsty Crow was screened at the Fica (Festival Internacional de Cinema e Video Ambiental) Film Festival, Brazil, while Let's Bicycle Together was selected for the India International Disability Film Festival held in Chennai in October.

He is now working on another short film that deals with organ donation where Odia actress Gargi Mohanty, who recently won a state film award for her role in Krantidhara, will play a pivotal role.

In another development, Amartya Bhattacharyya's I was screened at the 20th International Film Festival of Kerala held earlier this month. It was the only Odia film at the festival and found place as one of the seven films in the Indian section.

Earlier, the film was one of six to be screened at the South Asian Alternative Film Festival, Paris.

Such was the reception it received that it was acquired by Italian sales and distribution company The Open Reel at the 68th Festival De Cannes held in May this year.

Shot on a shoestring budget using a DSLR camera , the film chronicles the subtle emotions and detailed portrayal of the human mind in a surreal way.

"I feel lucky that my film was screened at the festival. I got a chance to meet a number of popular film directors," Bhattacharyya said.