Biswanath Rath


Biswanath Rath is an Indian film director, screenwriter, editor and producer. His films have received Awards and Recognitions in a total of 208 International Film Festivals. He is the founder of Production company BnR Films LLP.
His first short film Kar Bhalaa has garnered a total of 42 International Film Festivals nominations and three awards. His debut music video was Feel the passion. It has received 21 International Film Festival nominations. His first ad-film The 'Right' Glass is a social ad-film based on Child Rights, which has garnered two awards and 58 International Film Festival nominations. His Tamil Music Video Namma Chennai Chancey Illa, produced by National Daily The Times of India with the theme 'Celebration of Chennai and its culture, was premiered at TourFilm Riga - Tourism Film Festival in 2017.
This video is a spiritual successor to Chancey Illa. His English Documentary A Zero to Hero Collaborative Approach, released on World Food Day received 'Audience Award' at AgriCulture Film Festival held at Rome on 9 December 2017. This documentary tells the inspirational success story of collaboration between Dangarbheja Gram Panchayat and a Civil Society Organisation named Govindalaya.
His latest English Documentary Kotpad Weaving : The Story of a Race Against Time, was telecasted on DD National on 24 March 2018. This documentary explores the uniqueness of Kotpad Handloom, the issues and possible solutions for revival of Kotpad Weaving and Dyeing. The film had its Australian Premiere at Sydney on 15 November 2018 as part of a Handloom exhibition titled 'The Kotpad Collection' organised by brand 'Kay Collections'. It had its Indian Premiere at Kashmir World Film Festival, Srinagar on 30 November 2018 where it won 'Best Short Documentary' award. The film also features Padma Shri award recipient Gobardhan Panika. The documentary film has garnered a total of 27 International Film Festivals nominations and two awards. This film is World's first documentary film on Kotpad Handloom.. In June 2020, the film premiered on Amazon Prime US, UK, Canada, Australia and other English-speaking territories of Amazon Prime, making it the first documentary from Odisha to feature on a major global OTT platform.
In June 2020, his romantic Odia Music Video 'ବର୍ଷା ଭିଜା ରାତି' premiered on an OTT named 'IndieShorts', making it the first Odia Music Video to feature on a National OTT platform.
His Silent Short Film 'New Champion' received 'Best Films in Indian Panorama' Award at CMS International Children's Film Festival at Lucknow on 9 April 2018.

Personal life

Biswanath Rath was born in Jeypore, Odisha to Raghunath Rath and Pramila Rath. He is an alumnus of Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Warangal. During 2007-2010, he worked in Maruti Suzuki India Limited after which he moved to Chennai for learning film making. At Chennai, he completed formal courses in Screenwriting and Film Direction and started his film-making career.
In 2015, he founded film production company BnR Films LLP with his wife Archana Rath.

Awards and recognition from Indian Socio-Cultural Associations

YearAwardEvent NameOrganisationLocation
2017Adarsh Prabasi OdiaPrabasi Odia Business SummitOdisha Without BorderChennai
2019Utkal ShreeUtkal Divas Thane Odia AssociationMumbai
2019Adarsh Prabasi SammanRaja MahostavKalinga Swaraj FoundationPune
2019Bartika Artist AwardOdisha Hastatanta CarnivalBartika HandloomsBhubaneswar

Filmography

YearFilmContributionAwards/AccoladesType/Language
2013Kar BhalaaWriter/Lyricist/Director/Producer Yuva Nirman Short Film Festival, Ahmednagar - 2nd Best Short Film Award
Srishti Short Film Festival, Bhubaneswar - Best Direction Award
Delhi Short International Film Festival, Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
7 Continent Film Festival, Online - Official Selection & Screening
Delhi International Film Festival, Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
Siliguri International Short & Documentary Film Festival, Siliguri - Official Selection & Screening
Script Short International Film Festival, Kochi - Official Selection & Screening
Jaipur International Film Festival, Jaipur - Official Selection & Screening
FilmSaaz International Film Festival, Aligarh - Official Selection & Screening
IIT Bombay Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Nashik International Film Festival, Nashik - Official Selection & Screening
Jagran Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Monsoon Asia Film Festival, Taiwan - Official Selection & Screening
Visionaria Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Goldensun Short Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Wiper Film Festival, New York - Official Selection & Screening
Ozark Shorts Film Festival, USA - Official Selection & Screening
Creative International Open Film Festival, Bangladesh - Official Selection & Screening
CMS International Children's Film Festival, Lucknow - Official Selection & Screening
Cine Phone Film Festival, Spain - Official Selection & Screening
Nassau Film Festival, New Jersey - Only short film from India to get screened
Second Asia International Youth Short-Film Exhibition, Beijing - Official Selection & Screening
Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth, New Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
Roselle Park Loves Shorts Film Festival, New Jersey - Official Selection & Screening
Indie Wise International Film Festival, Florida Official Selection & Screening
PIPA Film Festival, Brazil - Official Selection & Screening
Children's International Film Festival, North Carolina - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Global Short Film Awards, New York - Official Selection & Screening
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Official Selection & Screening
Ahuja International Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
Cardiff International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
Shortfundly ShortFilm of the Month October 2017 - Award & Screening
Best of India Short Film Festival, USA - Semi-Finalist
China Microfilm Micro-Video, Beijing - Official Selection & Screening
Grand IndieWise Convention, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Marin County International Festival of Short Film & Video, California - Official Selection & Screening
Flicks Fiesta 2018, Malaysia - Official Selection & Screening
ShortFundly Online Film Festival - Winner of Short Film of the Month Award-Oct 2017
Inshort Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Short Film
2014The Invincible CodeWriter/Editor/Director/Producer Indie Wise International Film Festival, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
Geo Film Festival & Expo Cinema, Padova - Official Selection & Screening
Miami Epic Festival, Florida - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Cefalu Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Inshort Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Short Film
2015The 'Right' GlassWriter/Editor/Director/Producer Srishti Short Film Festival, Bhubaneswar - 'Best Fiction Award'
Kallola Short Film Festival, Bhubaneswar - 'Children Choice Award'
FilmSaaz International Film Festival, Aligarh - Official Selection & Screening
Jagran Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Development Film Festival, Madurai - Official Selection & Screening
Kolkata International Film Festival, Kolkata - Official Selection & Screening
BlackBird International Film Festival, New York - Official Selection & Screening
Afghanistan Human Rights International Film Festival, Kabul - Official Selection & Screening
Goldensun Short Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
iPhone Film Festival, California - Official Selection & Screening
Ozak Shorts Film Festival, USA - Official Selection & Screening
Visionaria Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
FilmSaaz International Film Festival, Aligarh - Official Selection & Screening
CMS Children's International Film Festival, Lucknow - Official Selection & Screening
River Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Samawa Cinema, Iraq - Official Selection & Screening
Bradford Small World Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
Parachute Light Zero Act III International Film Festival, Paris - Official Selection & Screening
Creative International Open Film Festival, Bangladesh - Semi-Finalist
Sciuridae International Film Festival, USA - Official Selection & Screening
Phoenix Film Festival, Melbourne - Official Selection & Screening
Minutnik Film Festival, Europe - Official Selection & Screening
Mister Vorky Film Festival, Europe - Official Selection & Screening
RATMA International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
KISAKES Short Film Festival, Turkey - Official Selection & Screening
Roselle Park Loves Shorts Film Festival, New Jersey - Official Selection & Screening
Minute Mania Online Short Film Festival, Kolkata - Official Selection & Screening
FerFilm International Film Festival, Europe - Official Selection & Screening
Second Asia International Youth Short-Film Exhibition, Beijing - Official Selection & Screening
Marano Ragazzi Spot Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Wular Lake International Short Film Festival, Srinagar - Semi-Finalist
PIPA Film Festival, Brazil - Official Selection & Screening
Indie Wise International Film Festival, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
PickUrFlick Indie Film Festival, Bengaluru - Official Selection & Screening
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Breaking Waves Film Festival, Canada - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Echo Film Festival, Moscow - Official Selection & Screening
Miami Epic Festival, Florida - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Geo Film Festival & Expo Cinema, Padova - Official Selection & Screening
Cardiff International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
National Film Festival on Art & Artist, Bhubaneswar - Official Selection & Screening
CortoKino Global Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Best Seconds Video Competition, Switzerland - Official Selection in 'Good Cause' category & Screening
Cefalu Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival: La Esperanza, California - Official Selection & Screening
China Microfilm Micro-Video, Beijing - Official Selection & Screening
IndustryBOOST Competition, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Marin County International Festival of Short Film & Video, California - Official Selection & Screening
Parrot National Films Festival, Bihar - Official Selection & Screening
Inshort Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
LAMPA International Film Festival of socially oriented short films, videos and social advertising, Russia - Official Selection & Screening
Festival de Cortometrajes "Jose Francisco Rosado" PACAS, Spain - Official Selection & Screening
International Open Film Festival, New York - Official Selection & Screening
StarBest Film Festival, Melbourne - Official Selection & Screening
Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival, Melbourne - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Golden Bee International Children's Film Festival, New Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
Social Ad-Film
2015Feel The PassionWriter/Director BlackBird International Film Festival, New York - Official Selection & Screening
Apex Short Film + Music Video Festival, USA - Official Selection & Screening
Colossus Film Festival, Greece - Official Selection & Screening
Creative International Open Film Festival, Bangladesh - Semi-Finalist & Screening
KVAERNER Film Festival, Croatia - Official Selection & Screening
I Filmmaker International Film Festival, Spain - Special Mention
PIPA Film Festival, Brazil - Official Selection & Screening
Indie Wise International Film Festival, Florida -Official Selection & Screening
Global Short Film Festival, New York -Official Selection & Screening
FilmSaaz International Film Festival, Aligarh - Official Selection & Screening
Miami Epic Festival, Florida - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Semi-Finalist & Screening
International Ayuryog Film Festival, Ghaziabad -Official Selection & Screening
Cefalu Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
IndustryBOOST Competition, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
My Mumbai International Short Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Music Shorts Film Festival, Missoula-USA - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Aasha International Film Festival, Nashik - Official Selection & Screening
Music Video
2016New ChampionWriter/Editor/Director/Producer Live Your Moment Contest by 48 HFP, Mumbai - Top 30 Best Ad-films & Screening
Frames Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Breaking Waves Film Festival, Canada - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Miami Epic Festival, Florida - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Best Seconds Video Competition, Switzerland - Official Selection in 'Known Brand' Category & Screening
CMS International Children's Film Festival, Lucknow - 'Best films in Indian Panorama' Award & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Short Film
2016A Zero To Hero Collaborative ApproachWriter/Editor/Director/Producer AgriCulture Film Festival, Rome - Screening & 'Audience Award'
Cardiff International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
Geo Film Festival & Expo Cinema, Padova - Official Selection & Screening
G2 Green Earth Film Festival, Los Angeles - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Stories Lived Non-Fiction Film Contest, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
IndieWise Film Festival, Florida - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
Marin County International Festival of Short Film & Video, California - Official Selection & Screening
Inshort Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Documentary
2017Uncut HyderabadWriter/Producer Baja Web Fest, Mexico - Official Selection & Screening
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Semi-Finalist & Screening
International Tourism Film Festival "Tourfilm Riga", Latvia - Official Selection & Screening
Culture of Life Film Festival, Memphis, USA - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Documentary
2017Namma Chennai Chancey illaWriter/Director 'Tourfilm Riga' - International Tourism Film Festival, Europe - World Premiere
Caribbean Film Festival & Market, USA - Semi-Finalist & Screening
Cardiff International Film Festival, UK - Official Selection & Screening
Cefalu Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
San Mauro Film Festival, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
My Mumbai International Short Film Festival, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Music Shorts Film Festival, Missoula-USA - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Aasha International Film Festival, Nashik - Official Selection & Screening
Music Video
2018Kotpad Weaving : The Story of a Race Against TimeResearch, Script & Direction Marin County International Festival of Short Film & Video, California - World Premiere
ZAGREB TOURFILM FESTIVAL, Croatia - European Premiere
Metro Film & TV Awards, USA - 'Award of Excellence' & Screening
Kashmir World Film Festival, Srinagar - Screening & Best Short Documentary Award
The Kotpad Collection, Sydney - Australian Premiere
Smita Patil International Film Festival, Pune - Official Selection & Screening
Inshort Film Festival, Nigeria - Official Selection & Screening
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Asian College of Journalism - Educational Screening
Screening of Award-winning Docs, Pune - Official Selection & Screening
Screening of Award-winning Docs at 'Ama Utkarsha Odisha'- Official Selection & Screening
South Asian Short Film Festival, Kolkata- Official Selection & Screening
Educational Screening at Salisbury Public Library, Massachusetts for 'The North of Boston Weavers Guild'
Ambacht in Beeld Film Festival, Amsterdam - Dutch Premiere Habitat Film Festival, New Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
Educational Screening at Motivational Film Show by Govindalaya, Nabarangpur -Odisha Premiere
'Tourfilm Riga' - International Tourism Film Festival, Europe - Latvian Premiere
Kala Samruddhi International Film Festival, Mumbai - Best Documentary Award
Educational Screening at Golden Jubilee Convention by The Odisha Society of the Americas, New Jersey
Docademia's 3rd Short Documentary Contest, Chicago - Official Selection & Screening
Fashion Film Festival-Milano, Italy - Official Selection & Screening
AageanDocs Festival-Athens, Greece - Official Selection & Screening
OpenFrame Film Festival, Delhi - Official Selection & Screening
Koraput Literary Festival, Koraput - Official Selection & Screening
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Odisha Hastatanta Carnival, Bhubaneswar - Official Selection & Screening
Kotpad Exhibition, Bengaluru - Bengaluru Premiere
Kosice International Monthly Film Festival, Slovakia - Official Selection & Screening of Trailer
Prague International Monthly Film Festival, Prague - Official Selection & Screening of Trailer
Documentary
2018Zero to OneScript & Direction MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Aasha International Film Festival, Nashik - Official Selection & Screening
Documentary
2018The Viral FilmStory, Script, Editing & Sound Mixing African International SmartPhone Film Festival, Nigeria - World Premiere
MoziMotion International Film Festival, Netherlands - Official Selection & Screening
Short Film
2018ଶତ ପ୍ରତିଶତ Original : Episode 1 - ଆମ ଓଡିଆ ସିନିମାStory, Script, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Mixing & Direction The Lift-Off Sessions, UK - World Premiere
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Mumbai - Official Selection & Screening
Vagdevi Lit Fest, Bhubaneswar - Official Selection & Screening
Aasha International Film Festival, Nashik - Official Selection & Screening
Comedy Short Film
2019WAR : Rescue. Release. RepeatResearch, Script, Cinematography, Editing & Direction Talents International Film Festival, USA - World Premiere
The Lift-Off Sessions, UK - World Premiere
Kosice International Monthly Film Festival, Slovakia - Official Selection & Screening of Trailer
Prague International Monthly Film Festival, Prague - Official Selection & Screening of Trailer
Documentary Web Series
2019Desh Dosti EtcStory, Script, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Mixing & Direction The Lift-Off Sessions, UK - World PremiereShort Film
2019SubharambhaPublicity Partner Great Message International Film Festival, Pune - Best Theme Award
Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival, Mumbai - Best Music Video Award
Music Video
2019Pehle UngliStory, Script, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Mixing & DirectionSocial Ad-Film
2019Barshaa Bhijaa RaatiScript, Animation, Sound Effects & Direction The Lift-Off Sessions, UK - World PremiereMusic Video
2020Corona WarriorsConcept, Research, Editing, Sound Mixing & DirectionSocial Talk Show
2020RavaiyaaStory, Script, Lyrics & Direction Shorted Short Film Nominee - Official Selection & ScreeningShort Film