Afreen Firdaus 
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has announced the selection of 20 feature film projects from 11 countries for the upcoming 17th edition of the Film Bazaar, an esteemed co-production market event conducted alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). This event is scheduled to take place at the Marriott Resort in Goa from November 20 to 24, as per a recent press release.
Among the official selections stands a noteworthy film from Odisha, titled ‘Baghuni (Dance like a Tiger),’ which will be directed by the internationally acclaimed filmmaker, producer, and promoter, Jitendra Mishra. The film is produced by London-based entrepreneur Partha Sarathi Panda, who hails from Odisha and is under his production entity Glocal Films UK Limited, in collaboration with Jitendra Mishra, who operates under his banner Cinema4good Pvt. Ltd.
Notably, both Jitendra and Partha, originating from Odisha, have joined forces for the first time to craft ‘Baghuni (Dance like a Tiger)’ in multiple languages, with Odisha being the primary focus. This multinational co-production project is a groundbreaking endeavour for any film from Odisha, as it is set to be filmed in various locations within the state next year. The production will involve cast, crew, and technicians from Odisha, alongside several international professionals.
The creators of the film express their intention to showcase Odisha’s rich art, culture, tradition, and heritage values on the global stage through ‘Baghuni (Dance like a Tiger).’ Simultaneously, the film aims to create global opportunities for local stories and professionals from related fields. This project is a significant step toward promoting the cultural and cinematic richness of Odisha and offering a global platform for the state’s unique narratives.
For this year’s Film Bazaar, selections include films from countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, France, Poland, Luxembourg, and Israel. The chosen filmmakers will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers, and sales agents during the five-day event.
Jitendra Mishra, the founder of Cinema4Good, has an impressive track record of involvement in the production, distribution, and promotion of over 50 national and international films in various categories and capacities. Some of his recent projects include ‘The Last Color,’ ‘Buried Seeds,’ ‘Desires of the Heart,’ ‘Human Oak,’ ‘I am Kalam,’ and ‘Barefoot Empress,’ among others. Meanwhile, London-based Partha Sarathi Panda, originally from Odisha, has been actively promoting art, culture, and cinema from India through numerous socio-cultural initiatives in the United Kingdom. His collaboration with Jitendra Mishra on ‘Baghuni (Dance like a Tiger)’ signifies a significant step forward for both cinema and cultural representation from Odisha on a global scale.
