Odisha to Host ‘Samarthya-2026’ National Short Film Festival Celebrating Disability Success Stories

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will organise ‘Samarthya-2026’, a national-level short film festival aimed at showcasing inspiring stories of persons with disabilities and promoting inclusion through the medium of cinema.

Organised by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Department, the festival will provide filmmakers from across India with a platform to highlight the achievements, struggles and resilience of persons with disabilities.

Theme Focuses on Success Stories

The theme for this year’s festival is “Success Stories of Persons with Disabilities.”

Officials announced the initiative at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, stating that the state government would extend full support to ensure the successful conduct of the event.

Senior officials of the SSEPD Department, film personalities, jury members and industry experts attended the briefing and emphasised the role of cinema in promoting awareness, inclusion and social change.

Entries Invited from Across India

The festival is being organised in collaboration with RR Events and Cine Production.

Filmmakers, producers, directors, media students and independent content creators from across the country have been invited to participate.

Entries must be short films of up to five minutes that portray the life, struggles, achievements and inspiring journeys of persons with disabilities.

Accessibility Made Mandatory

To promote inclusive filmmaking, organisers have made accessibility features compulsory for every submission.

Each film must include:

• Audio description
• Sign language interpretation
• Subtitles or closed captions

The organisers said these requirements would ensure that the films are accessible to a wider audience, including persons with different disabilities.

Submission Deadline, Jury and Awards

Interested participants can submit their entries through the festival’s official website.

The last date for submission is July 7, 2026.

The jury will evaluate the entries on July 8, while winners will be announced on July 11, 2026.

Selected films will be screened during the festival, with awards presented under both National and Odisha categories. All participants will receive certificates of participation.

Promoting Inclusion Through Cinema

The initiative aims to celebrate the talent, determination and achievements of persons with disabilities while encouraging positive social attitudes towards disability.

Through meaningful storytelling, the festival seeks to inspire greater awareness, empathy and inclusivity across society.