Goa Gleanings: Takeaways From the International Film Festival of India and Film Bazaar

As a seasoned film enthusiast who has attended numerous international film festivals, I must admit that my recent immersion in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and Film Bazaar left an indelible impression on me. The sheer scale and diversity of the event, coupled with the presence of industry heavyweights, made it a truly unforgettable experience.

This year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and its accompanying event, Film Bazaar, have wrapped up what might be their most successful versions to date. EbMaster was there to cover the action, and here are some key insights from the festivities.

Global Interest in Indian Stories

The worldwide popularity of stories set in India, whether they’re fully financed within India or joint productions with international partners, is on the rise. Movies like “All We Imagine as Light” and “Girls Will Be Girls” have garnered attention at global film festivals. As Marten Rabarts, head of IFFR Pro (International Film Festival Rotterdam’s market strand), stated during a panel discussion at Film Bazaar: “The success of films like ‘All We Imagine as Light’ boosts the chances of your movie being chosen, as it has sparked a great deal of enthusiasm for Indian cinema. There is indeed a significant level of interest.

As a cinephile, I’ve been witnessing the strengthening bonds between nations in the film industry, and it’s truly exciting! Movies like “The Return,” a joint production between Australia and India, or “Bidjara Kumari,” a unique collaboration between Aboriginal and Indian creators, are just a few examples. These partnerships demonstrate the growing international ties that India has been forging.

Prithul Kumar, who holds the position of Joint Secretary for Broadcasting within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, declared the 2024 edition to be an exceptional Film Bazaar, exceeding all previous events in terms of attendees and exhibition spaces. The event saw a significant surge of over 20% in the number of delegates, reaching approximately 1,500 participants from 31 different countries and territories (compared to 20 last year). Additionally, ten new national pavilions were added, along with 14 pavilions showcasing India’s state film promotion organizations. The participating states actively promoted themselves as attractive locations and provided additional incentives that complement those already offered by the central government of India.

The market structure might be approaching its operational limit, but it has been encountered with various challenges by international travelers. Some have faced issues with transportation and lodging, while others lamented about the sheer size making it difficult for them to connect with all the necessary individuals.

Independent Cinema Challenges

Indian independent films encounter distribution obstacles even with international recognition, indicating a demand for innovative marketing approaches. Filmmaker Pan Nalin (of “Last Film Show”) stated this at the Bazaar, explaining the intertwined dependencies among sales agents, festivals, and distributors. Pan Nalin explained that for the Oscar-nominated “Last Film Show,” his team chose theatrical releases in territories like Spain and Scandinavia before streaming agreements, a decision that boosted their streaming earnings. He disclosed that when budgeting independent films, his team now assumes no revenue from India due to the difficult market conditions for indie movies.

The theatrical environment in India is notably tough due to a lack of theaters. Nirupama Kotru, Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor for the Government of India, highlighted this issue, stating that with only 3,000 to 5,000 screens catering to a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it’s difficult for independent films to find screening opportunities.

The situation looks somewhat brighter overseas, as Dominique Welinski, a French film producer, points out. She emphasizes that while streaming platforms and international markets provide promising prospects, traditional theatrical releases continue to be essential in regions where cinema-going tradition thrives. She highlights the success of recent Indian-themed films like “All We Imagine as Light” and the U.K.’s Cannes-selected Oscar entry, “Santosh,” in France: “These films are currently doing over 100,000 admissions in France, which is quite significant for us.

Expansion into New Formats and AI

Following a global pattern, IFFI and Film Bazaar are increasingly presenting streaming series along with conventional films, mirroring shifting audience tastes. This trend is also visible in other Asian countries, as shown by discussions this year in Bucheon, Busan, and Tokyo. In line with this, India is open to adopting AI and alternative content development is a natural outcome of such technological advancements. OpenAI’s Pragya Misra showcased their text-to-video model, Sora, which can create a minute-long video from text instructions in a matter of seconds. Although not yet open to the public, the tool is being tested with selected filmmakers. At an IFFI panel, Misra shared that the version demonstrated today might be the worst it ever gets, but improvements are expected in the future.

Shekhar Kapur, the esteemed filmmaker and director of IFFI festival, considers artificial intelligence (AI) to be one of his favorite topics. He recently mentioned that AI played a key role in providing an exceptional plot outline for a potential “Mr. India” sequel, even surpassing many well-paid professional writers. Kapur expressed, “ChatGPT gave me the best plot for ‘Mr. India 2’,” referring to the original film he directed in 1987. However, Kapur also highlighted AI’s shortcomings by stating that it lacks emotions such as fear and love, and is all about precision rather than unpredictability. In his current project, “Masoom: The Next Generation,” Kapur utilizes AI as a tool for story development, while acknowledging that AI still has a long way to go before matching human creativity.

Anand Gandhi, director of “Ship of Theseus,” voiced concerns about artificial intelligence influencing human creativity, stating that AI will likely function as both a collaborator and guide in shaping culture. “We’re standing on the brink of something enormous, unparalleled,” Gandhi emphasized.

The festival and market as B2B launch platform

The festival and the market harmoniously blended work and fun, serving as prominent stages for their respective launches.

After the India-Colombia audiovisual coproduction agreement was finalized, IFFI’s opening ceremony showcased previews for a film exploring Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s impact on bringing peace to Colombia. Renowned director Subhash Ghai displayed a sneak peek of a docudrama focusing on Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Additionally, Indian public broadcaster Prasar Bharati debuted their streaming app Waves during this event. A new series based on the ancient Indian epic “The Ramayana” was also unveiled on stage with its cast and crew present.

Experienced filmmaker, Bobby Bedi took a luxurious yacht on loan to reveal the plans for Contentflow Studios’ future projects. This schedule includes collaborations with international partners in Saudi Arabia and Spain, as well as a project alongside renowned musician A.R. Rahman.

Representatives from Spain, Australia, and Saudi Arabia showcased their countries’ production incentives, co-production prospects, and distribution possibilities at the Film Bazaar event, engaging in discussions about these topics.

Visible high-profile leadership

This year, renowned movie director Shekhar Kapur, known for films like “Elizabeth” and “Bandit Queen,” stepped into the role of festival director. Right from the start, his innovative ideas and extensive network were evidently effective.

I had the privilege of being part of an extraordinary gathering, where the tireless work of Kapur and his esteemed advisory group, including administrator Vani Tripathi Tikoo and producer Bedi, culminated in a remarkable event. Luminaries such as William Pfeiffer, Phillip Noyce, John Seale, Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, Anthony Chen, Jill Billcock, Hugo Weaving, and Anthony Chen graced us with their presence. The crème de la crème of the Indian film industry, including the visionary director Ashutosh Gowariker, the Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, and stars like Ranbir Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Bhumi Pednekar, Yami Gautam, and Rajkummar Rao, were also actively involved in the enlightening discussions and presentations that unfolded.

The IFFI masterclasses were exceptionally informative, with Seale, Noyce, Wooley, and documentary filmmaker Lucy Walker prepared to impart wisdom rather than just discuss their past careers. Indian film industry veteran Vidhu Vinod Chopra received a warm reception akin to a rock star. Additionally, musical sensation Rahman not only expressed his ideas on cultural nation-building but also took the time to address questions from students and aspiring filmmakers about relevant topics.

As a dedicated movie lover, I’ve always believed in putting our audience first, and that’s exactly what we did for this festival and market. From the curation perspective, every decision was made with our viewers in mind.

As a movie enthusiast and reviewer, I recently attended the enlightening ‘Knowledge Series’ at Film Bazaar. This series provided valuable insights, from workshops on screenwriting, understanding intellectual property rights, and career growth in the film industry, to various states showcasing their unique strengths as potential filming locations – including Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Bihar. Lastly, a session was dedicated to effectively leveraging social media for productive purposes within this creative field.

At Film Bazaar, the sessions were more detailed compared to IFFI’s masterclasses, but they didn’t lack in industry heavyweights. Some of these prominent figures were Guneet Monga Kapoor, who has won an Oscar for production, Manish Menghani from Prime Video, Nikkhil Advani, creator of “Freedom at Midnight”, Sameer Gogate representing the BBC, Biren Ghose of Technicolor, Grainne Brunsdon from Screen Australia, Aparna Purohit of Aamir Khan Productions, Richie Mehta, the mind behind “Delhi Crime”, and Chuck Russell, a successful Hollywood producer.

2024-11-29 10:47

Goa Gleanings: Takeaways From the International Film Festival of India and Film Bazaar

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