Cannes, France/15 May 2024: While the much-awaited Cannes Film Festival 2024 kicked off with celebrated stars, filmmakers, and influencers from across the globe yesterday, internationally acclaimed filmmaker from Odisha, Jitendra Mishra, has made a mark at the one-of-a-kind international event by appearing in Sambalpuri attire. He is currently visiting the festival for his upcoming feature film project from Odisha. The Cannes Red Carpet is considered to be one of the most high-status and glamorous stages the whole world looks up to, and this is a rare opportunity to showcase the beauty of Odisha’s Sambalpuri handloom to the world. Audiences from across the world appreciated the vibrant color, distinct design, and texture of the silk.
Born in Titilagarh, Odisha, Jitendra Mishra, who has been a regular participant of the Cannes Film Festival promoting Sambalpuri handloom for over a decade now, has been trying to promote the art, culture, and cinema from Odisha and India at international forums like this. He is one of the few Indian film producers and promoters who have been able to create a benchmark in ‘Alternative methods of Film Production, Distribution, and Promotion’ at the international level. Committed to meaningful cinema, Jitendra has already been associated with the production, distribution, and promotion of more than 110 films in different categories and various capacities altogether. Many of them have received worldwide acclaim and recognition. I am Kalam, The Last Color, Buried Seeds, Desires of the Heart, and Human Oak are a few recent films among others. Awarded several national and international accolades, Jitendra has been the festival director of the unique film festival and forum SIFFCY, an initiative of India’s leading development organization Smile Foundation. Currently, Jitendra is the Goodwill Ambassador of one of the world’s largest and oldest global networks of media professionals, CIFEJ, which was formed under the auspices of UNESCO in 1955. He was elected president of the body in 2020. Jitendra has been a member of the Cannes Producers Network and has also been invited as a jury member to more than 50 different international film festivals and forums.