India Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival inaugurated

CANNES, 10 May 2018: A strong contingent from India has reached the Cannes film festival to showcase the diversity and collaborative opportunities with other nations. 

The inaugural session of the Indian Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 was held yesterday. The India Pavilion is being organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India and FICCI.

Mr. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Indian Ambassador to France, said that the country's ancient storytelling tradition coupled with the economic and technological transformations present several collaborative opportunities. "You come across a set of absolutely ripe and ready opportunities to grow international partnerships between the Indian film industry and the cultural and thought streams prevailing outside India," he said. 

Mr. Jerome Paillard, Executive Director, Marche Du Film Festival, Cannes Film Market said that "the Indian Pavilion is a very important tool to help connect the European and worldwide film community with the Indian industry." 

Mr. Prasoon Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Film Certification India said that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had taken special efforts to showcase India���s regional cinema at Cannes. He further highlighted the need to reach out to young filmmakers who might not have access to a festival like Cannes. "Let's create many mini Cannes film festivals all around the world to help more and more filmmakers," he said.

Ms Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Member, Central Board of Film Certification said that several members of the International film festival of India, Goa were present at Cannes this year, "we are here to look at deeper collaborations between Goa as a film festival, and also, collaborations in mentoring young filmmakers," she said.

Speaking about the Indo French collaboration in cinema she said that India has an excellent relationship both with the Cannes film festival and the French film industry. "Films like Tamasha and Befikre were shot extensively in this part of the world and found great resonance with the narrative storytelling between the two countries," she said.

Filmmaker Mr. Jahnu Barua said that only a fraction of Indian cinema had been exposed to the world, "there is so much more to explore," he said. Shaji Karun, on the other hand, spoke on how the Cannes Film Festival helped him with his very first film. "Cannes discovered the filmmaker in me. It gave me an opportunity to get my film recognised here in France and other countries," he said.

Filmmaker Mr. Bharat Bala highlighted the competitive opportunity for young filmmakers, "the government with all its initiatives and support for young filmmakers has created competitive opportunity." 

Actor Ms Huma Qureshi, whose first film Gangs of Wasseypur was screened at Cannes in the Directors Fortnight section in 2012, said, "today, with such platforms, filmmakers are getting to share their films with the world."