Odisha's Jitendra Mishra honoured as Jury Member at Olympia Film Festival in Greece
Bhubaneswar (By Abhishek Mohanty): Acclaimed Indian filmmaker and cultural promoter from Odisha, Jitendra Mishra, has been selected as a Jury member for the prestigious Olympia International Film Festival in Greece.
The festival runs from November 29 to December 6, 2025 in Pyrgos, the neighboring town of the historic birthplace of the Olympic Games. This distinguished recognition makes Jitendra Mishra the first-ever Indian to serve on the jury of the acclaimed Olympia Film Festival, marking a proud milestone for Indian cinema and international cultural exchange.
Mishra will serve as a juror in the International Competition of Feature Films and also judge a special section, “Best Greek Short Film for Children and Youth – Traces: Towards a Modern Greek Cinema”, alongside four distinguished jurors: Viola Gabrielli from Germany, Radka Hofmann from Slovakia/Czech Republic, and Kärt Väinola from Estonia. The Olympia International Film Festival, founded in 1997 in Ilia, promotes global cinema for children and youth, fostering creativity and education.
Featuring diverse films, workshops, and the Camera Zizanio youth showcase, it cultivates young creators and highlights cinema’s power as a tool for learning and social change.
“I am truly honoured to be invited to this remarkable film festival.
Greece has always provided meaningful opportunities for collaboration.
With our global organization CIFEJ headquartered in Athens, it is especially important for me, as its president, to gain deeper insight into Greek cinema.
Participating in this festival strengthens our cross-country cultural exchanges and further enriches our own festival, SIFFCY", said Jitendra on this occasion. Born in Titilagarh, Odisha, Jitendra Mishra is among the few filmmakers and promoters who have set a benchmark for independent and Indian regional cinema on international platforms.
Deeply committed to meaningful and socially conscious storytelling, he serves as the Festival Director of SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival), presented by Smile Foundation in partnership with the European Union, reaching over half a million young viewers across India each year.
Jitendra currently leads CIFEJ (International Centre of Films for Children & Youth) as its President.
Established under the auspices of UNESCO in 1955 and headquartered in Athens, CIFEJ is one of the world’s oldest and largest global media networks.
He is also the Founder of Cinema4Good, a pioneering production house, and CineOdisha, an initiative launched at Dubai Expo 2020 to promote India’s regional cinema and cultural heritage on the global stage.
With more than 100 films to his credit—among them The Last Color, Desires of the Heart, I Am Kalam, and The Silent Epidemic—Jitendra has received numerous national and international accolades, including India’s prestigious National Film Award conferred by the President of the nation.
Having served as a jury member at over 50 international film festivals, he continues to champion independent cinema and cultural exchange, inspiring future storytellers through his visionary contributions.
