India’s NFDC to promote six filmmakers at Cannes

The NFDC will introduce the filmmakers through a series of meetings and networking events at the India Pavilion in the International Village. In addition, trailers and information about the directors’ work will be presented in the India Pavilion information kits 

The six filmmakers include festival regulars such as Anurag Kashyap and Peepli Live director Anusha Rizvi, along with lesser known talents such as Haobam Paban Kumar (see full list below).

This year marks the first time that the NFDC has been appointed to manage the Indian delegation at Cannes. Under the banner “Exploring Partnerships”, the government-backed body is working with both the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Tourism to arrange several other programmes and events during the festival.

These include networking sessions with France’s CNC, Telefilm Canada, the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) and Israeli delegates. The CNC will give a presentation on the new co-production treaty between France and India, while Binger Film Lab will also co-host a panel on how to co-produce with India.  

The NFDC has also prepared an India Pavilion kit including information about the six selected filmmakers; all the Indian companies attending Cannes and their market screenings; India’s government film units, film festivals and co-production treaties, and the annual Film Bazaar projects market in Goa.

The Indian delegation will also hold a party at the L’Annex Plage on May 16 with the aim of promoting the India experience.

The six filmmakers who will be promoted at the festival are:

* Dibakar Banerjee – director of Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye! and Love, Sex Aur Dhoka who will soon start shooting political thriller Shanghai.

* Anurag Kashyap – director of Dev D and That Girl In Yellow Boots who also produced last year’s Un Certain Regard entry Udaan and recently wrapped gangster epic Gangs Of Wasseypur.

* Anusha Rizvi – director of Peepli Live which screened at Sundance and Berlin and was recently released in the UK by Artificial Eye.

* Laxmikant Shetgaonkar – director of The Man Beyond The Bridge, a Konkani-language film which won the FIPRESCI prize in the Discovery section at Toronto.

* Sekhar Kammula – director from India’s Telugu-language film industry whose credits include critical and commercial successes such as Anand, Happy Days and Leader.

* Haobam Paban Kumar – award-winning documentary and television director from Manipur in the North-East of India.