By Mihika Jindal:
The 67th Annual Cannes Festival, slotted to be held between 15th May — 25th May, 2014, will witness participation from the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as it proceeds to present the ‘India Film Guide’ at the Cannes Film Market, India Pavilion. The guide is being perceived as a pioneer resource guide with principal focus on placing India as a prime ‘Filming Destination’.
Cannes Film Festival is amongst the most esteemed and widely broadcast film festivals in the world, previewing and facilitating new films from all genres and categories including documentaries from across the globe.
India Pavilion and this event set up by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in coordination with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) was graced with the presence of prominent leading lights. Dr. Kamal Hassan inaugurated the India pavilion in presence of Shri Bimal Julka, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Arun K Singh, Indian Ambassador to France and Mr Jerome Paillard, Director, Marche du Film (the Cannes Film Market). Dr Kamal Hassan is the Chairman of the FICCI Media and Entertainment Business Conclave. The occasion was further attended by Mr Uday Chopra, Mr Ramesh Sippy, Ms Mallika Sherawat, Mr Ranvir Shorey et all.
The Film Guide catalogues film policies and information on movies for sale and distribution. Ministry of I&B, through its secretary Mr. Julka, expressed that the resource guide endeavours to encourage Indian cinema across linguistic, cultural and regional diversity, targeting increasing number of international partnerships in the realm of distribution, production, filming in India, script development and technology, and promoting film sales and syndication. Reflecting further, Secretary I&B mentioned that the provision of co-productions and Single Window Clearance will aid assimilation of Indian film-makers with the production houses worldwide.
Shri Julka further emphasised on the importance of the audio-visual co-production agreements and said that the catalogue gave comprehensive information about similar co-production agreements signed with various countries like UK, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Poland and New Zealand. He also mentioned that negotiations are underway with other countries like Korea, Australia, China and Japan. Under the aegis of these bi-lateral agreements, it would now become possible for filmmakers from signatory countries to come together and make films, creating new markets and wider audience.
The inaugural address was followed by a discussion on “The Making of Grace of Monaco” – opening the Cannes International Film Festival, 2014. The airing of the film was attended by the cast and crew of the film. Cannes festival will watch a session on “Titli” — the official Indian entry (Un Certain Regard section) — with Mr Kanu Behl, the director of the film. Carrying the title “The Journey to Cannes”, the session will feature Mr Kanu Behl, Avtar Panesar, Vice President, International Operations, Yash Raj Films; Guneet Monga, Founder, Sikhya Entertainment and CEO, Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt. Ltd. and Ranvir Shorey, et al.
This comprehensive guide will open the gates to alter the trend of filmmakers making films in isolation, limited to their respective regions and cultures. The endeavour is to create a symbiotic relationship between filmmakers from different ideologies and exposures; where they come together to create magic on a global level giving the universal audience a taste of fusion.