Union Minister Anurag Thakur has led an Indian delegation to the 75th Cannes Film Festival that is underway at the French Riviera currently. India is the country of honor at Cannes this year and many artists have flown to France to be a part of the festival. Thakur inaugurated the India Pavilion and unveiled the poster for 53rd edition of (IFFI International Film Festival of India) at Cannes.
While addressing the attendees at the Indian Pavillion at Cannes, the I&B minister announced major sops to boost shooting of foreign films in India. Incentives up to Rs 2 crore for co-production and up to Rs 2.5 crore for shooting foreign films in India were announced. “Indian cinema is a story of human talent, triumph and the trajectory of New India. Cinema has emerged as an instrument of our soft power in the last seven decades,” Anurag Thakur said.
Indian Ambassador to France, Shri Jawed Ashraf, said, “Indian cinema, an instrument of soft power, has made world know India better.”
Dressed in traditional attire, the 11-member Indian delegation led by Thakur walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, where India has been named as the ‘country of honor’ at the Marche du Film, the business counterpart of the marquee event. Mame Khan, the traditional Manganiyar singer from Rajasthan, became the first folk artiste to open the red carpet event for the Indian contingent at Cannes.
Donning a cream-coloured bandhgala, Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Thakur, along with music maestro AR Rahman, composer Ricky Kej, lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi, and veteran director Shekhar Kapur, walked the red carpet to attend the screening of opening film “Coupez” (Final Cut) by French director Michel Hazanavicius.
The ten celebrities, who accompanied the minister included musical maestros, renowned film makers and actors who represent a kaleidoscope of diversity from various regions, languages, mainstream and OTT-led cinema. Ambassadors from regional cinemas were part of the delegation, sending the signal to the world that India – which boasts of 25 regional film industries – has many different flavors and styles to offer in terms of film production. R Madhavan, actor and producer who worked in movies in six different languages, and Telugu superstars Tamannah Bhatia and Pooja Hegde made their dazzling appearance as part of the delegation.
India is also a country of honor’ at the ‘Cannes Next’, under which five new startups would be given an opportunity to pitch to the audio-visual industry. Ten professionals will participate on the Animation Day networking. As a major highlight of India’s participation at this edition of Cannes Film Festival, World Premiere of movie Rocketry, produced by R Madhavan, is scheduled to be showcased at the Palais des Festivals on May 19.
(With PTI inputs)
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