Indian biggies target Cannes mart
- indiaenews.com
On day two of the 59th Cannes Film Festival, the India Pavilion on the beachfront is bustling with activity. Most of the expected participants have already taken up position — they mean business and over the next few days hope to prise open new markets around the world.
Conceptualised and driven by the national entertainment committee of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with an array of leading Indian film companies, India’s presence in the Cannes Film Market is a few years old. This year, it has assumed dimensions that are clearly bigger and healthier than ever before.
According to film producer Bobby Bedi, co-chairman of the CII’s national entertainment committee, more than 40 Indian films will be up for grabs in Cannes this year. The list includes brand new Bollywood products like Karan Johar’s ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’ and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Othello adaptation, ‘Omkara’.
While Johar, accompanied by one of his cast members, Preity Zinta, is already in Cannes to explore new overseas distribution avenues, Bhardwaj is due to land here in a day or two. The latter is currently in London for the mixing of ‘Omkara’.
Also on offer from the Indian camp is Jagmohan Mundhra’s Aishwarya Rai starrer, ‘Provoked’, based on the real-life story of a battered Indian woman who ended up killing her abusive husband in Britain a few years ago.
Aishwarya, a Cannes regular by virtue of being one of the brand ambassadors of French cosmetics giant L’Oreal, has already registered her presence here. She sashayed up the red carpet in an off-the-shoulder gown, with Hollywood actress Andie MacDowell for company, on the opening night.
She is scheduled to stay on for the special market screening festival of ‘Provoked’ later in the festival.
Among the more interesting experiments being attempted in Cannes this time around is the move by India’s off-mainstream filmmakers to form a combine and set up shop in the Cannes Film Market.
‘For the Independent Indian Filmmakers (IIF), the international marketplace is no longer a luxury to consider for the future, but an integral part of any financing, co-production and distribution plan,’ says Bhuvan Lall, co-chair of the Assocham Entertainment Industry Leaders Council.
‘Gathering under one marketing and promotional umbrella enables Independent Indian Filmmakers to more efficiently and effectively present their productions and projects to the world market,’ he adds.
According to filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, one of the brains behind the IIF initiative, the move has been necessitated by the growing marginalisation of films that aren’t made in the manner of assembly-line products.
‘Unless we watch out, we will be swamped out by the big guns of the commercial Hindi cinema,’ he says.
‘In the past, they were content to let us do our thing. But now they want to control everything - the money, the festivals, the awards,’ warns the outspoken Mishra.
But he is quick to point out that IIF initiative ‘is anything but a personal battle against anybody. Our only an attempt is to protect our right to make the kind of films that we believe in’.
Will all these well-intentioned efforts yield the desired results? A beginning has been made. The outcome will hinge entirely on how effective the sales pitch really is.
Related Links:
05/15/06 Queen of Bollywood turns into battered wife
05/15/06 For your eyes only - mumbaimirror.com
05/14/06 Provoked among Indian films to be featured at Cannes
04/26/06 'We are waiting to unveil Provoked at Cannes' - mid-day.com
Provoked: News Updates
Aishwarya at Cannes 2006: Photos
Cannes 2002-5: Photos
