France:29/5/24:Based on the life of the late 103-year-old Indian teacher Nanda Prusty, Nanda Master’nka Chatasali has become the first Odia film to be presented at the Bharat Pavilion at the 77th Cannes Film Festival 2024 scheduled to take place in the French Riviera from May 14 to May 25.
The film’s team has been invited by the Bharat Pavilion to launch their poster and trailer at the closing ceremony of the India Pavilion. The trailer launch is scheduled was 4:15 PM, May 22, at 108, Bharat Pavilion, International Riviera. Other big films that are going to be a part of the Bharat Pavilion are Neeraj Pandey’s Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer Auron Mein Kahan Dum, Abhijit Aadhya’s Adrikaa, Divya Khosla’s Savie, and Pratik Gandhi’s Harna to name a few.
Nanda Master’nka Chatasali has been directed by Pranab Aich, who is known for his documentaries that have travelled in more than 50 film festivals around the world in cities such as Beijing, Durban, and Tirana. The producer Abhaya Pati is a journalist from Odisha. The film marks the debut of both, Pranab and Abhaya.
This documentary biography delves into the life of centenarian Nanda Prusty who comes to limelight after receiving Padmashri, India’s prominent civilian award. He is renowned for operating one of India’s last traditional open-air school Chatasali reflecting selfless teaching tradition. Spanning over a century, his remarkable journey unfolds in a remote village. Transforming from an actor to a teacher, Prusty’s narrative extends across three generations, marked by his unwavering commitment to selflessly serve his village on a profound spiritual path.
His biography Nanda Master’nka Chatasali had its world premiere at the prestigious NETPAC award section of 29th Kolkota International Film Festival. It was also recently screened at the 16th Habitat Film Festival in Delhi.The film is expected to release by the end of 2024 after travelling across the world through film festivals.
About The Film
English Title: Nanda School Of Tradition
Status: Awaiting International Premiere
Duration: 102 min
Debut Feature Film
Genre: Documentary Feature Hybrid
World Premiere: Asian NETPAC Competition, KIFF 2023, India
Status: Awaiting International Premiere
Born in pre – independent India, Nanda Prusty provided 70 years of free education to the poor extending across three generations of his village without seeking any funds or fame. The government of India awarded him the country’s fourth highest civilian honor Padmashree in 2021 when he had turned 103, just before his death.
His present life is captured in a span of 2 years while his past life is enacted by local non-actors. The film narrates his struggle to sustain the last traditional roofless school called Chatasali.
An actor turned teacher, who rose to fame as he climbed up the stage to bless the President of India when receiving the award, remained a silent purist unaffected by recognition.
While free education is at the heart of the story, this film explores human quest to achieve salvation through servic
Film Credits
WRITER & DIRECTOR
Pranab Kumar Aich
PRODUCER
Abhaya Pati
CINEMATOGRAPHER & EDITOR
Pranab Kumar Aich
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Naina Dash
CONCEPT
Asmita Pati
Featuring
Nanda Prusty
Narrated By
Khagesh Prusty
ACTORS Sai Sresth
Nityasha Pattnaik
Rabindra Rout
Rama Barik
Debasis Pothal
Chandan Samal
Kshira sagar Nag
Pratap Mallick
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Bibhuti B Gadnayak
SINGER
Anurag Das
SOUND DESIGNER
Anand Prakash
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Tabish Khan
SOUND RECORDIST
Suchi Suvra Sen
Biswajit Swain
Chinmay Bidyadata
Piyush Pradhan
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
Kshira Sagar Nag
Nishith S. Ray
Gayatri C Patnaik
ANIMATION & VFX
Camera Canvas Nihal Films
LINE PRODUCER
Pradeepta Aich
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Goutam Chandra Sahu
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER
Raka
ADDITIONAL CAMERA
Jyoti P. Behera
Rohit Routray
LIGHTING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANT
Apoorv Jain
MAKE UP AND COSTUME ASSISTANT
Surashree Sahoo
About The Director
Pranab Aich is an internationally recognized documentary photographer and filmmaker from India. His stint as a volunteer with NGOs shaped his early work.
Highlighting issues related to human-rights, health, environment & education, his work frequently features in international forums.
Winner of the Sony World Photography Award Cannes 2009, his short documentaries have been showcased at more than 50 film festivals globally which includes Durban International Film Festival 2022, Bradford Small World Film Festival UNESCO 2017, IFF Ekotop 2016- Bratislava, DocuTIFF 2016-Tirana, BJIFF 2016-China to name a few.
This is his debut feature film. He has written, shot, directed and edited the film himself.
About The Producer
Abhaya Pati is a senior journalist, educationist and an entrepreneur who owns a media firm in Odisha state of India.
He is also a philanthropist who works for the rights of grassroot journalists through many associations. His experience in journalism made him inclined to producing documentaries.
While doing a story on Centenarian Nanda Prusty, he got inspired to produce a documentary. This is his debut film as a producer.
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