Bhubaneswar: In a significant development, an MoU was signed between the Government of Odisha and the Film Heritage Foundation for the establishment of a State Film Archive on Wednesday here.
The agreement was formally signed by Smt. Guha Punam Tapas Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Department of Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts, and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the Film Heritage Foundation on the concluding day of week-long 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop held at Kalabhoomi.
While addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who attended the event as the chief guest, said, “Films are a true reflection of our social and cultural life. Preserving them helps revive beloved cinema classics that are slowly fading from our collective memory.”
Attending the event, Minister for Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Pradeep Bal Samant remarked that old Odia films are a source of inspiration for future generations, and it is our responsibility to safeguard this heritage.
Notably, the 10th Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop, jointly organized by the Film Heritage Foundation, the International Federation of Film Archives, and the Odisha Government’s Department of Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts, commenced on November 12.
The workshop, held at Odisha Crafts Museum – Kalabhoomi, concluded on Wednesday. All 59 participants who took part in the workshop were awarded certificates and mementos.
