WHISPERS of a STORM - Support The Filmmaker's Next Stirring | Milaap
WHISPERS of a STORM - Support The Filmmaker's Next Stirring Project
  • Anonymous

    Created by

    Swastik Arthouse
  • SA

    This fundraiser will benefit

    Swastik Arthouse

    from Bhubaneswar, Odisha

New Project: Whispers of a Storm
Director/Writer/Editor/Cinematographer: Amartya Bhattacharyya
Production: Swastik Arthouse 
Producer: Swastik Choudhury
Music: Kisaloy Roy
Cast: Priyanka Ghosh Roy, Swastik Choudhury, Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, Radha Krushna

Background
In 2019, Odisha (India), often called the land of cyclones was hit by Cyclone Fani, one of the worst to have hit South Asia in decades. A record 1.2 million people were evacuated in 24 hours, which is claimed to be the biggest human evacuation in history. The Category 4 cyclone, wreaked havoc in the coastal belt of Odisha with wind speeds of over 250 kmph (155 mph) at the time of landfall. Many coastal villages were wiped off completely. Such was the magnitude that over 10 million trees were uprooted, as per media reports.

About the Film
The film is set in the aftermath of Cyclone Fani, in devastated coastal villages of Odisha. A photographer, in greed of success, captures the devastation. He is indifferent to the suffering of people, and is focused only on the benefits he can extract out of the calamity. A villager, who happened to return from a rescue camp after the cyclone, finds his home shattered. He picks up his memories from the ruins and tries to carry them along, in a hope of reaching a safer land. Another young character Daya, a devotee of God, tries to explain to people that it's all God's will and they must not cry for their losses. He insists on people to laugh and even goes on to an extremes when an elderly man refuses to do so. On the other hand, a lady who lost her son to the cyclone leaves her village and finds solace in nature. These characters, apparently independent of each other, find relevance and relation in the context of their personal losses.

Why is this film important?
1. The film documents the aftermath of one of the biggest natural calamities of Southern Asia.
2. The film was shot in just 3.5 days.
3. Keeping the remoteness and the adversities in mind, the maximum crew size on any given day was 4.
4. The entire film has been shot in real locations of coastal Odisha, without a single set-up shot or use of VFX.

About the Director
Amartya Bhattacharyya is a National Film Award winner, a State Film Awardee and winner of several international awards. His latest feature 'Adieu GODARD' World Premiered at the 43rd Moscow International Film Festival (2021). His films have travelled to around 150 prestigious film festivals including the likes of IFFI (Goa), IFFK (Kerala), Jogja-NETPAC (Indonesia), KIFF(Kolkata), Oakland etc. (Wikipedia Link)

About the production house - Swastik Arthouse
Swastik Arthouse was formally established in 2014, with the sole aim of creating meaningful cinema that will have its presence felt globally. It is an independent production house committed to the cause of making arthouse cinema viable. Swastik Choudhury, who is the founder of this firm, works in a corporate company and invests his personal savings to fuel his passion for cinema. The first film under this banner was the fiercely experimental and critically acclaimed 'Capital I' (2014). It was followed by ‘Khyanikaa-The Lost Idea’ (2017) and ‘Runanubandha – The He Without Him’ (2018) all of which have travelled across the globe including several prestigious international festivals, winning accolades and awards. With no big financial backing and with limited resources, Swastik Arthouse, is extremely proud of having created films that have travelled to international festivals like Moscow, Jogja-Netpac, Oakland, Cardiff, IIFFK, KIFF, IFFI among others.
 
Utilisation of Funds
Of this estimated fundraiser of 5 lakhs, here is the overall break up:
  1.  20% (1 lakh) has been earmarked to be invested in getting the best soundscape for this film that will emphasis on the trail of devastation left by the super cyclone.
  2.  40% (2 lakhs) has been marked to ensure the film travels to prestigious film festivals, appropriate film markets, labs and film certification.
  3.  40% (2 lakhs) to be spent in releasing the film and associated promotion and marketing.

Funds collected will help the makers create more stirring and soulful films.
We Thank You for your valuable support and generous contribution.

Read More

Know someone in need of funds? Refer to us
support