Bhubaneswar: Odia feature film Lahari has earned an official selection at the 20th edition of the Tasveer Film Festival, which is held at Seattle in Washington, and is recognised as the world’s only Oscar-qualifying South Asian film festival.

The film will be screened on October 8.

‘Lahari’, which had its World Premiere at the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival, was across theatres in Odisha on September 12. “My films have been selected at over 200 international festivals worldwide, including some of the best in the world, but this is the first time one of my films has been chosen at an Oscar-qualifying festival. I am thrilled—this Seattle festival has been on my wish list for years. Finally, with LAHARI, we achieved it. Since the film is still in theaters, I urge all film lovers in Odisha to watch this internationally celebrated Odia film. Opportunities to see such films on the big screen are rare, and we should embrace them wholeheartedly,” said Director Amartya Bhattacharyya.

Lahari, produced by Jhilik Bhattacharjee, follows the lives of the central characters as they navigate the complexities of relationships, personal growth and the challenges of life in a rapidly changing world. The film has earned praises not only for its compelling narrative but also for cinematic celebration of the region.

The cast includes Choudhury Jayaprakash Das, Choudhury Bikash Das, Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, Smruti Ranjan Mahala (child artist), Susant Misra, Swastik Choudhury and Zeinab Doer, alongside a range of prominent names from the Odia film industry.