 "Cannes Film Festival 2018: Prasoon Joshi, Huma Qureshi open India Pavilion, Smriti Irani skips event")
Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Smriti Irani, who was due to inaugurate the India Pavilion at the 71st Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, skipped the event where a delegation of filmmakers and artistes are making strides to push the country’s regional films and further collaborations with other countries.
India Pavilion inaugurated at #Cannes Film Festival 2018... #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/zAE5QraIzw
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 9, 2018
Irani, who was to lead the delegation, is caught up with work related to the 15th Asia Media Summit to be held in New Delhi from 10 to 12 May as well as the Karnataka Assembly elections, informed sources told IANS. Irani was supposed to be in Cannes for a day. The inaugural session of the Indian Pavilion was held in Cannes on Wednesday. Hosted by actor Sharad Kelkar, it saw the presence of Indian ambassador to France Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ashok Kumar Parmar, Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of I&B; writer, poet and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Chairperson Prasoon Joshi, CBFC member Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Jerome Paillard, Executive Director, Marche Du Film Festival (Cannes Film Market), actress Huma Qureshi, and filmmakers Shaji N Karun, Jahnu Barua and Bharat Bala. The agenda this year is to showcase diversity in films in India and boosting co-productions. Paillard said in a statement, “The Indian pavilion is a very important tool to help connecting the worldwide European and worldwide community of films.”
Houseful at the India Pavilion inauguration event at Cannes Film Festival 2018. @ficci_india #IndiaAtCannes pic.twitter.com/jys9ygIwZq
— hema (@UpadhyayHema) May 9, 2018
On the Indo-French cinema collaboration, Tikoo said, “It is a fantastic relationship we have had, both with the Cannes Film Festival and the French film industry. In recent times, films like Tamasha and Befikre were shot extensively in this part of the world, and found great resonance with the narrative and storytelling between the two countries.”
We’re also looking at collaborations in terms of mentoring: @vanityparty #IndiaAtCannes pic.twitter.com/UtpDus7AFj
— FICCI (@ficci_india) May 9, 2018
A story untold is a terrible thing to happen: @vanityparty quotes Maya Angelou #IndiaAtCannes pic.twitter.com/3obUwuUQvS
— FICCI (@ficci_india) May 9, 2018
During the inaugural address, Joshi said, “I am happy that the National Awards this year and the Ministry have taken special efforts in showcasing the regional cinema at such a platform. We should also reach out to young filmmakers who might not have access to a festival like this. Let’s create many mini Cannes Film Festivals all around the world to help more and more filmmakers.”
Some films do need government support: Actor Kangana Ranaut in conversation at the IndiaPavilion. Alongside @prasoonjoshi_ #IndiaAtCannes @vanityparty @smritiirani @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/u1AL5A0tAf
— FICCI (@ficci_india) May 10, 2018
This year, the India Pavilion, organised by the I&B Ministry along with FICCI, is showcasing four regional language films. These include Assamese film Village Rockstars, Malayalam film Bhayanakam, Bengali movie Nagarkirtan and Sinjar, a film from Lakshadweep made in Jasari, Barua said India had great content in terms of cinema and so far only a little had been exposed to the world. The Cannes Film Festival began on Tuesday and will conclude on 19 May. Two films by Indian filmmakers, Nandita Das' _Manto_ and Rohena Gera’s Sir, are in separate competition sections at the gala, one of the most prestigious film jamborees around the world. With inputs from IANS. (Also read — Cannes Film Festival 2018: A look at Indian representation, from Manto to The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir)
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