let’s have mini Cannes fests: Joshi
The inaugural session of the Indian Pavilion at the 71st International Cannes Film Festival was hosted by actor Sharad Kelkar. With a strong delegation from the country, the agenda this year was to depict the diversity in films of our country while furthering collaborations with various other countries.
Speaking about the growth of the nation being well reflected through our cinema H.E Vinay Mohan Kwatra, ambassador of India to France, said,“What is happening in our country is the unprecedented transformation in technology and economy. This growing externalities are also reflected in our country’s cinema.”
Jerome Paillard, executive director, Marche Du Film Festival, Cannes film market, added, “The Indian pavilion is a very important tool that helps in connecting the worldwide European and the community of films.”
Speaking about Indo-French cinema collaboration Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Central Board of Film Certification, producer and director, said, “It is a fantastic relationship, we have had, both with the Cannes film festival and the French film industry. In the recent times, films like Tamasha and Befikre were shot extensively in this part of the world and found great resonance with the narrative story telling between the two countries. One of the major reasons why the members of steering committee from the International Film Festival of India, Goa are here is to ensure deeper collaborations between Goa as a film festival with filmmakers across the world,” she added.
During the inaugural address, Prasoon Joshi, writer, poet and chairman, Central Board of Film Certification India, said, “I am happy that the national awards this year and the ministry have taken special efforts in depicting the regional cinema at such a platform. We should also reach out to young filmmakers who might not have access to festivals like this. let’s create many mini Cannes film festivals all across the world to help more and more filmmakers.”
Filmmaker Jahnu Barua shared his thoughts saying, India has great content in terms of cinema and so far only a little has been exposed to the world. “There is so much more to explore,” he said.
Filmmaker Shaji Karun spoke about how the Cannes Film Festival helped him with his very first film saying “Cannes discovered the filmmaker in me. It gave me an opportunity to get my film recognised in France and in other countries.”
“The government with all its initiatives and support for young filmmakers have created competitive opportunity,” said filmmaker Bharat Bala.
“Today, with such platforms, filmmakers are getting the opportunity to share their films with the world,” concluded actress Huma Qureshi whose first film Gangs of Wasseypur was screened at Cannes in the Directors Fortnight section.