Odessa Sathyan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Odessa Sathyan
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| Born |
Cheeram Veetti Sathyan
10 October 1957 Vatakara, Kerala, India
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| Died | 19 August 2014 (aged 56) Kerala, India
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| Resting place | Narayana Nagar, Kozhikode, India |
| Occupation | Filmmaker, social activist |
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer; 2 daughters |
| Awards | Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award Special Jury Prize IFFK |
Odessa Sathyan (born Cheeram Veetti Sathyan; October 10, 1957 – August 19, 2014) was an Indian filmmaker and social activist. He was known for making documentaries and for being part of movements that worked for social change in the 1970s in Kerala, India. He also worked closely with the Odessa Collective, a special group that made films for everyone to see, started by famous filmmaker John Abraham. Odessa Sathyan won the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award for his musical documentary called Balikurippu, which was about the poet A. Ayyappan.
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About Odessa Sathyan
Cheeram Veetti Sathyan was born on October 10, 1957. His birthplace was Vatakara in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. His parents were Cheeramveettil Kunkan and Cheeru.
From a young age, Sathyan was interested in groups that worked for social justice. He became active in social work in the Kozhikode area during the 1970s. He joined movements that aimed to bring big changes to society.
A very important part of his life began when he met the well-known filmmaker John Abraham. Together, they started the Odessa Collective. This was a unique group that made films for ordinary people. Their film, Amma Ariyan, became very famous and was praised by many.
After John Abraham passed away in 1987, the Odessa Collective became less active. However, Sathyan tried to keep its spirit alive. He started Odessa Movies and continued to show films to the public for free, using a small projector.
Sathyan was married to Jennifer, who was a college lecturer. They had two daughters named Sandra and Soya. He passed away on August 19, 2014, at the age of 56. He died from pancreatic cancer at the Kozhikode Medical College. His body was laid to rest at his home in Narayana Nagar, Kozhikode.
Working for Social Change
Sathyan's journey in social work began with groups that supported workers' rights in Kerala during the 1970s. He was very involved in many activities that aimed to improve society in Kozhikode. He helped organize strikes for workers in places like Iringalpara.
Later, Sathyan joined a movement that sought major social changes. He worked hard for these causes and even faced time in prison during a difficult period in India from 1975 to 1977. He was known as a leader who stood up for what he believed in.
His Film Journey
His friendship with John Abraham led Sathyan to join the Odessa Collective. He played a big part in this group. They collected money from the public to make films. One of their most famous films was Amma Ariyan, which is seen as one of the first "people's films" in India. They showed this film all over Kerala for free.
When John Abraham died in 1987, the Odessa Collective slowed down. But Sathyan started Odessa Movies to continue their work. His strong connection to this film movement earned him the nickname Odessa Sathyan.
Sathyan made five documentaries and one musical album:
- Ithrayum Yathabhagam (The Path Traversed): This film was about the life and work of the famous Malayalam poet, A. Ayyappan. Sathyan knew the poet well, and this documentary showed the poet's life from a close perspective.
- Vettayadappetta Manasu (The Haunted Mind): This documentary told the story of Ramachandran Nair, a police officer. He became known for admitting to killing a leader named Varghese.
- Agnirekha (The Blazing Course): This documentary was about Angadippuram Balakrishnan, a social activist who was seen as a hero by the movement he belonged to.
- Visudha Pashu (The Holy Cow): This film was still being edited when he passed away.
- Balikurippu (The Sacrificial Note): This was a musical film about the life of the poet, A. Ayyappan.
Awards and Special Mentions
His musical documentary, Balikurippu, received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award in the musical videos section. Balikurippu also won a Special Jury Award at the 6th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala in 2013.
See also
- John Abraham (director)
- A. Ayyappan
