Bhubaneswar, September 5: The Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Department on Saturday organised 'Samarthya 2026', a national short film festival here in order to highlight the confidence, success, and positive contributions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) to society.
The festival received a total of 62 film entries from across the country, including 20 national-level and 42 regional films. After a two-stage evaluation by 'RR Events and Cine Production', 38 films were selected for the final screening. To keep the messaging focused and impactful, each film was capped at a maximum length of five minutes. Additionally, films included 'Audio Description' and 'Sign Language' to ensure accessibility for visually and hearing-impaired audience members.
The jury committee was headed by Veteran Cinematographer Jugal Debata, alongside Tripura Mishra and disability rights activist Jitendra Biswal, who selected the final winners.
Filmmakers, officials, artists, and social workers gathered to celebrate the talent, willpower, and achievements of persons with disabilities through cinema.
While previous editions focused mainly on raising awareness about disability, 'Samarthya 2026' highlighted the confidence, success, and positive contributions of persons with disabilities to society. The festival aimed to break old social stereotypes by showcasing stories of overcoming hardship.
National Category Winners:
Best Film (Joint): Tune of Life and Medal
Best Director, Best Actor (Sahu Jaysinghrao Sabekar), & Best Prop Use: Tune of Life
Best Film (Panel Expert Committee) & Best Cinematography: A Little Big Dream
Best Story/Screenplay & Best Actress (Atreyee Banerjee): Plea
Odia Category Winners
Best Film (Joint): Antardrashti and Leak
Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actor (Bikram Keshari Mohanty), & Best Actress (Deepika Tripathi): Leak
Special Awareness Award: Antahswara
Panel Expert Committee Honors: Chandrarohana and The Wheel
Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, SSEPD Special Secretary Rajani Jani, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Bratati Harichandan, and Financial Advisor Jayashree Tripathi, festival Brand Ambassador and actress Sheetal Patra, along with senior SSEPD officials and students from various educational institutions, were present to support the participants and make the event a success.
