NEW DELHI: As the 42nd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) started amid much fanfare and flashbulbs this week, I&B minister Ambika Soni struck a sober note.
She remarked India made the largest number of films, but there was barely any international recognition. The antidote she said, "We have to market our films better...there has to be greater exchange, more buying and selling of films."
Some baby steps have been taken in the direction. The festival hosts Film Bazaar that saw 453 delegates from 37 countries last year.
Some international partners included Cinemart, ( Rotterdam), Binger Filmlab (Netherlands), Locarno International Film Festival ( Switzerland), Screen International and Film Business Asia. This year promises to be bigger. An encouraging sign is a larger presence of companies trading films. For instance, last year there was one film company from Iran, while this year two others have taken exhibition space.
One of the new initiatives by NFDC this year is the 'screening room'.' It is a digital library of feature films that are showcased at IFFI and the latest films in India compiled on behalf of the market. This year, there are 50 unreleased films that are on offer along with a similar number of full length feature films. Films looking for gap funding are also available for buyers.
The agenda of this initiative is to promote sales and festival participation of South Asian films globally. Through this facility, buyers, financiers, festival programmers can view films, leave comments for the film's rights holder(s), request screeners and avail other trading and distribution services.
Director Ramesh Sippy says that it would help if India was able to market our films better. He reasoned that it was not easy for people to risk their money on an unconventional or independent film. "That is what makes events like IFFI important. Festivals like these lead to interactions and provide a platform for films to be marketed," he said.
IFFI steering committee chairperson Mike Pandey felt that Indian filmmakers will have to break out of their shells to make an impact on the global stage. "We don't have to play to the gallery. We don't have to be Cannes. We can be ourselves and still make an impact," he said.
An independent filmmaker Bedabrata Pain, whose venture Chittagong lay unreleased for several months before he could find a distributor, disagreed. He said, "Festivals are sometimes overrated. Even if the film is well-liked, like mine was, no one is ready to finance the film for release and promotion." Pain spent Rs 4.5 crore on the film that boasts of credits like Oscar winner Resul Pookutty and music by Shankar-Ehsaan Loy says he needs an equal amount if not more to promote the movie.
She remarked India made the largest number of films, but there was barely any international recognition. The antidote she said, "We have to market our films better...there has to be greater exchange, more buying and selling of films."
Some baby steps have been taken in the direction. The festival hosts Film Bazaar that saw 453 delegates from 37 countries last year.
Some international partners included Cinemart, ( Rotterdam), Binger Filmlab (Netherlands), Locarno International Film Festival ( Switzerland), Screen International and Film Business Asia. This year promises to be bigger. An encouraging sign is a larger presence of companies trading films. For instance, last year there was one film company from Iran, while this year two others have taken exhibition space.
One of the new initiatives by NFDC this year is the 'screening room'.' It is a digital library of feature films that are showcased at IFFI and the latest films in India compiled on behalf of the market. This year, there are 50 unreleased films that are on offer along with a similar number of full length feature films. Films looking for gap funding are also available for buyers.
The agenda of this initiative is to promote sales and festival participation of South Asian films globally. Through this facility, buyers, financiers, festival programmers can view films, leave comments for the film's rights holder(s), request screeners and avail other trading and distribution services.
Director Ramesh Sippy says that it would help if India was able to market our films better. He reasoned that it was not easy for people to risk their money on an unconventional or independent film. "That is what makes events like IFFI important. Festivals like these lead to interactions and provide a platform for films to be marketed," he said.
IFFI steering committee chairperson Mike Pandey felt that Indian filmmakers will have to break out of their shells to make an impact on the global stage. "We don't have to play to the gallery. We don't have to be Cannes. We can be ourselves and still make an impact," he said.
An independent filmmaker Bedabrata Pain, whose venture Chittagong lay unreleased for several months before he could find a distributor, disagreed. He said, "Festivals are sometimes overrated. Even if the film is well-liked, like mine was, no one is ready to finance the film for release and promotion." Pain spent Rs 4.5 crore on the film that boasts of credits like Oscar winner Resul Pookutty and music by Shankar-Ehsaan Loy says he needs an equal amount if not more to promote the movie.
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