Eat leto, see Santhal films - Tribal delicacy to increase footfall at six-day festival

Jamshedpur, May 4: Watch-and-munch, an American cultural import that India has eagerly embraced while viewing films or TV, will get a whole new tribal taste.

All India Santhali Film Association (AISFA), preparing for the fourth Santhali and Regional Film Festival from May 6 to 11, has decided to draw more people to Michael John Auditorium, Bistupur. The bait is food, but not your regular popcorn or pakora or potato chips.

The association will offer viewers platefuls of leto. The popular tribal delicacy is a dish of mutton and chicken chops cooked with rice powder and turmeric. Each plate served at the film festival will cost Rs 25.

“This is part of our effort to showcase Santhali culture through food, along with musical instruments, literature and garments. Separate stalls will sell freshly cooked leto. It’s a delicacy only cooked during special occasions. We will also have stalls selling tribal literature, musical instruments, garments and traditional weapons,” said AISFA president Ramesh Hansdah.

Coming back to films, the festival will screen 13 in Santhali, Khortha, Nagpuri, Bhumij, Raad Bangla, two documentary films and a music album. Entry to the auditorium will be free.

The festival’s award ceremony would be held at Gopal Maidan, Bistupur, on May 12.

“The association’s core committee has selected well-known singer and lyricist from Bengal, Jivan Murmu, for lifetime achievement award 2013 posthumously. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a certificate and a trophy. The AISFA special award will be given to tribal singer Simal Tuddu of Musabani in Ghatshila, who has recorded several songs in a female voice despite being a man, and Jadunath Hansdah of Odisha,” the Santhali film association president added.

Meanwhile, the fourth edition of the Santhali film festival hosted by Pandit Raghunath Academy of Santhali Cinema and Art (RASCA) would be held on May 5 at Tata Auditorium, XLRI.

Director of RASCA, Surya Singh Besra on Friday said the film festival would screen 10 Santhali films from Jharkhand, Bengal and Odisha and would be inaugurated by Odisha additional director general of Shyam Sunder Hansdah.

“There will be awards in different categories for actors, director, singers, lyricist, music director, cinematographers and others,” he added.