Mumbai, October 20, 2022: The 16th edition of Film Bazaar announces its official selection of projects for its core segment, the Co-Production Market, to be held between November 20 – 24, 2022 in Goa.
Tanveer Mir
This year’s Film Bazaar offers 20 compelling projects that bring forth a pan-global narrative. An invigorating Co-Production Market lined up with a bunch of powerful projects from 11 countries have been selected to participate in the Market. The line-up is an eclectic mix of stories in Bengali, English, French, Gondi, Hindi, Kashmiri, Malay, Marathi, Nepali, Spanish and Tamil. The selected filmmakers will be pitching their projects to International and Indian producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers, and sales agents at Open Pitch.
The selected projects for 2022 are –
A LIFE A ROSE | English, Bengali, French | India, France, United Kingdom, Germany
Director - Kaushik Ray
Kaushik Ray is a first time director, with three films in varying stages of development. He is currently a partner in a boutique international law firm based in the City of London, where he specializes in development finance in least developed countries. He previously worked in film finance as a lawyer, working on projects such as Slumdog Millionaire and Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank. As a budding writer and director, he is heavily influenced by Satyajit Ray, Mike Leigh and also Pedro Almodovar. I identify as a globalist and a feminist, and all my stories explore contemporary social issues such as corruption, hypocrisy, misogyny and inequality, but always told with a dash of humour or poetry. Kaushik's first two short films as director are in pre-production, and his first feature is in development.
Producer - Jean-Baptiste Babin | BackUp Media
BACKUP MEDIA was founded in 2002 to create a bridge between finance and entertainment. BACKUP MEDIA’s different operations serve the production and the distribution of ambitious cinema and TV projects, bringing the team's unique expertise and a tailor-made solution to each new project. The 450+ productions funded by Backup Media have garnered over 120 selections and nominations and won over 40 prestigious prizes in A-list festivals and academies.
Producer - Pooja Chauhan | Taran Tantra Telefilms Pooja Chauhan, a Creative Producer trained at New York Film Academy, a 2022 Berlinale Talent, brings a detail-oriented approach and a hands-on experience on every aspect of film & TV production. Her recent feature film Goldfish directed by Pushan Kripalani starring Kalki Koechlin and Deepti Naval is set to have its world premiere at Busan International Film Festival. Her previous projects have traveled to BFI Flare, BIFF, Talinn Black Night, IFF Rotterdam among many others.
AADIM (Primordial) | Marathi| India Director - Sohil Vaidya
Sohil is a writer and director based in Pune and Los Angeles. He has won the Grand Prix for Best Short Film at Melbourne International Film Festival for his film Murmurs of the Jungle and the prestigious Directors Guild of America's Award for his thesis film Difficult People. Sohil's films have been screened at more than 90 International Film Festivals such as Rotterdam(IFFR), Melbourne(MIFF), Chicago, Raindance, IFFI (Indian Panorama), Palm Springs, Dharamshala (DIFF), Kerala (IDSFFK), Newyork Indian Film Festival, etc. Sohil is a BAFTA Fellow for their newcomer's program in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) Film School with MFA in Film/TV Directing.
Producer - Bijon Imtiyaz | Goopy Bagha Production
Bijon is an internationally award-winning writer, director, and producer. He is known for films such as Kingdom of Clay Subjects. His films have been showcased at Venice, Rotterdam, Busan, Seattle, Shanghai, Melbourne, Singapore, Locarno, Cinequest, Stockholm, and many other international film festivals. Bijon is the first Bangladeshi Film Production/Directing MFA- graduate from the prestigious Film, Television, and Theatre Department of the University of California, Los Angeles.
Producer - Arifur Rahman | Goopy Bagha Production
Arifur Rahman is an independent filmmaker. He completed the graduation program from Busan Asian Film School on Film Producing in 2019. He attended Asian Film Academy in 2017, Locarno Open Doors Lab in 2018, Global Media Makers LA Residency in 2019, La Fabrique Cannes in 2021, and Film Independent Producing Lab in 2021. He has produced international award-winning films such as the Bangladeshi features, Kingdom of Clay Subjects (2016) and co-produced Live from Dhaka (2016). He also produced the Afghan short films Roqaia (2019) and Shabnam (2021) and recently produced the Bangladesh-IndiaFrance-Nepal co-production film The Silent Echo. Arifur Rahman’s produced films have been screened at Venice, Rotterdam, Busan, Seattle, Singapore, Shanghai, Melbourne, Raindance, and many other international film festivals. His Bangladesh-Germany co-production project Paradise was part of 2019's Berlinale co-production market and his BangladeshIndia-France co-production project Solo was part of 2021's La Fabrique, Cannes Film Festival.
ARMS OF A MAN | Marathi | India, United Kingdom
Director - Rohan Kanawade
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade is a self-made filmmaker with a background in interior design. His debut short Ektya Bhinti (2013) won him the ‘Riyad Wadia Award for Emerging Filmmaker’ at South Asia’s largest queer film festival KASHISH MIQFF. His short Khidkee (2017) was a part of the 48th Indian Panorama Section of IFFI, Goa. His lesbian short set in rural India, U Ushacha (2019), won him the coveted ‘Satyajit Ray Short Film Award’ at London Indian Film Festival. This short won ten awards and was screened at 35+
film festivals internationally, with a theatrical release in India in January 2020. It is now streaming on British Film Institute’s BFI Player in the UK. Arms Of A Man is Rohan’s debut Marathi language feature film which was part of Film London Production Finance Market under New Talent Strand, and Marathi Script Writing Camp’ organized by MFSCDC and NFDC in 2021.
Producer - Neeraj Churi | Lotus Visual Productions
Neeraj Churi started his film production journey around 2017 by producing and promoting South Asian LGBTQ+ films, realizing the limited opportunities available to the community to bring their stories to the screen. His first feature, EK Jagah Apni was part of NFDC Goes to Cannes in 2022. He sponsors grants for LGBT+ short films and promotes queer cinema through theatrical/corporate screenings and film festival curation. An alumnus of New York film academy, he also holds degrees in Information science with experience working with top-tier financial institutions in NY and London. His filmography includes Muhafiz and Queer Parivaar (UK) (Both nominated for IRIS Prize 2022); Sheer Qorma - winner of 60+ international awards, including Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festivals; My Mother's Girlfriend - winner Best Short Film Award at IDSFFK 2021; U for Usha - Winner of 10 international awards; Sisak - Winner of 60 international awards.
BADLIDO AAKASH (Changing Sky) | Nepali| Nepal
Director - Machindra Yongya
Machindra ‘Mac’ Yongya is a filmmaker active in UK and Nepal. He completed a Bachelor's degree in Digital Filmmaking from SAE Institute, Oxford in 2016. Ever since graduating, Mac worked independently in partnership with LOQU Films in and around the Oxford and London area. He worked on self-financed projects, most of the time working odd jobs and producing content for the internet. In this manner, he produced alongside directing and writing three shorts, two of which are streamed from LOQU Films' YouTube channel. He also co-directed and photographed many sketches, comedies, and music videos for LOQU Films. Currently, Mac is based in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he is involved in a feature film as 1st Assistant Director/writer. Additionally, he writes feature film screenplays for various independent productions.
Producer - Anup Poudel | Underground Talkies Nepal
Anup Poudel is a producer based in Kathmandu. A graduate of Oscar College of Film Studies in Kathmandu, Anup has graduated in a film-producing course from Busan Asian Film School, South Korea. His short films as a producer have been selected at the festivals like Cannes, Venice, Busan, Winterthur, Locarno, Montreal, Uppsala, Galway and many more. He was also awarded by the then US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for his short film. He has recently completed three short films and a feature, which are being submitted across various film festivals.
BAND GALLI (The Last Lane) | Hindi, English | India
Director - Gautam Arora
Gautam Arora is a writer/director based out of Mumbai/Delhi. He received a specialization in film direction and screenplay writing at Prasad Academy, Chennai. His first short film, Circus, had a successful festival run spanning one year earning him nominations at the 10th International Children’s Film Festival, Bangladesh; 10th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala and Tata Institute of Social.
Sciences, Mumbai. Gautam was associated with critically acclaimed films such as Cities of Sleep (2015), Soni (2017) and All That Breathes (2022) which went on to premiere in Cannes, Venice and BFI London. He received a grant from the US consulate Mumbai in association with Seeds of Peace to create a short film titled, I Shall Not Hear Love. The film screened in Dubai and is currently streaming on Zee5. Gautam runs his own production house called Woolwork Films based out of Mumbai/India.
Producer - Shaunak Sen | Kite Rabbit Films
Shaunak Sen is a filmmaker and writer based in New Delhi. His film All That Breathes (2022) was the first film ever to win best documentary prizes at both the Cannes Film Festival (2022) as well the Sundance Film Festival (2022). His previous film Cities of Sleep played at various film festivals and won 5 international awards. Shaunak has received various grants and fellowships including the ProHelvetia residency in Switzerland (2016), the Charles Wallace fellowship as visiting scholar at Cambridge University (2018), the IDFA-amsterdam documentary grant (2020), the Tribeca documentary grant (2020), and the Sundance Film Grant (2020). Shaunak also holds a PhD and his writings have been published in journals like Bioscope and Widescreen.
DEPTH OF DARKNESS | Tamil, Malay | Malaysia
Director - Gogularaajan Rajendran
Gogu is an artist and director based in Kuala Lumpur. After graduating in architecture, he began his filmmaking career as an editor, and later as an assistant director. Through his art he aims to show that even in this bleak world, through the power of innocence, magic can exist. He is committed to telling the story of Indian Malaysians which is rich in horror and humour, using provocative and poetic approaches. Together with fellow young filmmakers, Gogu co-founded Padai Art Movement which aims to find an original collective narrative for Malaysian Cinema.
Producer - Kumanavannan Rajendran | Fourth Frame Studios
Kuma is a law graduate who went on to do a filmmaking diploma. Kaali is his first feature as a producer but has over 10 years of experience working on sets as an assistant director and assistant producer. Besides Malaysia, he has lived in England, Brazil, India, Switzerland and speaks a few languages. He is the brother of the director Gogu and has produced most of his previous works, winning a few awards together.
HONOUR | English, Hindi | Australia, India
Director - Anupam Sharma
Anupam is a filmmaker with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Films & Theatre from UNSW, specializing in directing with a thesis on Indian Cinema. Widely credited as pioneering Australian film links with India, Anupam and his company TEMPLE, have led a team of film professionals, working on over 320 projects. Anupam is the chair of Australia India Film Council and a respected commentator and frequent speaker on issues related to Australian film industry, diversity, and Indian cinema. He has been nominated as an Australia Day Ambassador for over 10 years and was named one of the fifty most influential film professionals in Australia for his work in films and diversity.
Producer - Cathy Roda | Films and Casting TEMPLE
Cathy grew up in the wilds of far north Queensland, studied zoology and journalism, and worked as a writer/producer in advertising, marketing and video in Australia and the UK. Yet it’s in fiction features that Cathy made her mark, starting with the multi award winning Unfinished Sky, which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and was the 4th highest grossing Australian film of 2008. She is highly experienced in international co-productions, including Finnish/German/Australian cult sci-fi hit Iron Sky (premiered Berlinale 2012, sold worldwide), and Danish/German/Australian action comedy Ved Verdens Ende (2009). Her recent films include talent accelerator zombie western Bullets for the Dead (2015). She was also executive producer on Cathy Henkel’s feature documentary Rise of the Eco-Warriors (2014). Cathy took a sabbatical in 2015-19 as Senior Manager of Production Investment at Film Victoria, and returned to producing in late 2019 as Cathartic Pictures.
KAL BAISAKHI (The Nor’Westers) | Hindi, Bengali, English |India
Director & Producer - Judhajit Bagchi & Ranadeep Bhattacharyya | Yaannus Atelier LLP
Producer-Writer-Director Duo Judhajit Bagchi & Ranadeep Bhattacharyya are alumni of Presidency College Kolkata. After completing their Masters in Communication from Manipal University, they started their career with Ad-man Prahlad Kakar at Genesis Films. Their passionate commitment to realize their joint creative vision resulted in the establishment of Yaannus Atelier with their internationally acclaimed award winning short film Amen on gender and sexuality. Their style ranges from cinematic and classic to conceptual and experimental. Over the last decade, the duo has won Cannes Dolphin consecutively in 2015 and 2016 for their brand image films and their experimental short film Children of the Soil, with poetry penned by Gulzar Saab, won the 2020 National Award in the Non-Feature Film category.
Producer - Shikha Alhuwalia | Waveband Production LLP
Shikha S Ahluwalia is a Photographer, Film Producer and Financier associated with multiple Film Financing & Sales Companies in India and abroad. Juggling various aspects of Production in the entertainment and media industry for over two decades, being part of National Award Winning Children Film - Dekh Indian Circus starring Nawazuddin and Tanistha Chatterjee. Her current films in production are social drama Dukaan directed by Sidharth Singh & Garima Wahal and Desi Sherlock directed by Kunal Kohli.
Producer - Wasim Khan | Open Air Films
Wasim Khan’s first break came with the National Award-winning film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! as a line producer. Shanghai was his second film as executive producer, followed by Akshay Kumar’s Boss. Garnering enough experience in all formats of filmmaking, in 2015, he joined as a partner in OpenAir Films.
KEET (Insectum) | Hindi | India
Director - Bhaskar Hazarika
Bhaskar's most recent and his sophomore feature Aamis, had its World Premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in the International Narrative Competition Section. Prior to Aamis, his debut film Kothanodi, received the ACF Post-production Grant in 2015 and premiered at the 2015 Busan International Film Festival. It was also awarded the 2016 National Film Award for Best Regional Film in Assamese. Currently, Bhaskar is in the post-production stage of his latest short for a feature length anthology by the makers of Tumbbad. He is also the writer and Creative Producer of Metanormal's latest feature Emuthi Puthi, which was released in June, 2022. His new feature in development Keet was earlier presented as an official selection of this year’s HAF Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum In-Development Project Market (March 14-16, 2022).
Producer - Shyam Bora | Metanormal Motion Pictures
Shyam's debut feature as Producer, Aamis (Ravening), premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2019 in the International Narrative Competition section. His second feature, Emuthi Puthi (A Very Fishy Trip), was released across cinema theatres of Assam in June, 2022 and his latest feature, Second Chance (Film Bazaar Co-Production Market, 2020) is currently at the post-production stage. Shyam's other credits include as Executive Producer of Kothanodi (Busan International Film Festival, 2015) and Associate and Line Producer of Angry Indian Goddesses (Toronto International Film Festival, 2015). He is an alumnus of the Busan Asian Film School’s International Film Business Academy (AFiS), the Buncheon NAFF Fantastic Genre Film School and Film Independent’s Global Media Maker program.
KUCH SAPNE APNE (Dreams Such As Ours) | Hindi, Tamil, English | India, United Kingdom Director - Sridhar Rangayan
Sridhar Rangayan wears many caps – of a filmmaker, writer, activist and festival director. His award winning films The Pink Mirror, Yours Emotionally, Purple Skies, Breaking Free and Evening Shadows are at the forefront of India’s emergent queer cinema movement. He won the National Award for Best Editing for his film Breaking Free, and his film Evening Shadows has won 27 international awards and screened at 80 festivals. He has served as Jury for prestigious film festivals such as Mardi Gras (Australia), Outfest (USA), Berlinale (Germany), Iris Prize (UK), Movies That Matter (Netherlands) and Image+Nation (Montreal). He has figured in the list of ‘Global List of LGBT Influencers’ by BFI Flare; ‘5 Most Influential Gay & Lesbian Indians’ by Pink Pages, India; and ‘21 Heroes Changing LGBTI Asia For The Better’ by Asia LGBT Milestone Awards, Hong Kong.
Producer - Pragyesh Singh | TNV Films Pvt. Ltd.
An Independent Filmmaker focused on writing and Direction and directed films Chhoti Si Guzaarish, Shinaakht, and documentary Heritage of Thrall; and also produced 28 short films and 2 web series. His films have been officially selected in more than 50 film festivals and have won more than 25 awards. Film Shinaakht have been screened at 8 cities in Jagaran Film Festival. He has been awarded with the Rang Bharati Samman by Governor of State of Uttar Pradesh on UP Sthapana Diwas in the year of 2019 and Lokmat Samman in the field of Art in the year of 2018. He started writing lyrics, poems, ghazals in1993, and then he pursued his company secretary-ship from the Institute of company secretaries of India. After his education, he started working in the social sector as CEO and have founded many organizations in the field of Finance, Auditing, Healthcare, and Filmmaking.
Producer - Sridhar Rangayan | Solaris Pictures
Sridhar Rangayan is a partner in Solaris Pictures, which will be the main Producer of the film. Solaris Pictures is an Indian media house that believes in ‘Advotainment’ – advocacy with entertainment. As a film production company it has consistently been making films that engage the audience and initiate dialogues on issues dealing with health and sexuality, human rights, and the LGBT community.
Previous productions include: The Pink Mirror, 68 Pages, Project Bolo, Purple Skies, Breaking Free and Evening Shadows. Together they have won around 45 international awards and screened at more than 250 film festivals. Breaking Free won the National Award for Best Editing Non-Fiction. Evening Shadows has won 27 international awards and screened at 82 international film festivals. Its productions The Pink Mirror, Breaking Free and Evening Shadows has recently streamed on Netflix.
NAIMER RUN| Hindi, English |India, United Kingdom
Director - Shalini Adnani
Shalini Adnani is a UK-based Chilean/Indian writer and director. Her short films Something More Banal (2017) and Somebody's Daughter (2018) have screened at Oscar & Bafta qualifying festivals worldwide, with the latter receiving a Vimeo Staff Pick. Her India-set feature project Kollam took part in Torino Extended Script Lab in 2019 and is in advanced development with Film4. Her short film White Ant, backed by Film4 and Stone Bench, was shot in India in late 2021. She is a Berlinale Talents Alumni and is represented by Liam Francis Quigley at 42 MP.
Producer - Michael Graf | Makadam Films
Before going into producing, Michael has served as acquisitions & development executive for the international sales agent and financier Bankside Films in London. He was actively involved in the acquisition of films like the upcoming On The Fringe (starring and produced by Penelope Cruz), Inside (starring Willem Dafoe) and TIFF 2021 premiere Wolf (starring George MacKay and Lily Rose-Depp), the latter two both selling to Focus Features. He has most recently completed the Canadian- Swiss feature Something You Said Last Night, which premiered at TIFF 2022, helmed by Sundance Special Jury Prize winner Luis De Filippis, sold by Memento International. He has also most recently produced Shalini Adnani's short film White Ant backed by Film4 and Stone Bench (India). Kollam will be the fourth collaboration between Shalini and Michael.
ORANGES SMELL LIKE TURPENTINE |Hindi, English | India
Director - Sasha Singh
Sasha Singh graduated from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute with a specialization in Direction and Screenplay Writing. She has written and directed several short films which have been screened at various International film festivals including IFFI, IDSSFK and Kolkata International Film Festival. She has worked as an Assistant Director to filmmakers Navdeep Singh and Shonali Bose and has subsequently co-written screenplays with several Indian directors. A film she has co-authored titled Double XL will release theatrically in India, 2022. Oranges Smell Like Turpentine is her first independent feature length screenplay which was selected for NFDC’S Screenwriter’s Lab 2021. Sasha also conducts filmmaking workshops with a collective of independent filmmakers from all over the country, called Tuning Fork Films.
Producers - Arfi Lamba & Katharina Suckle | Bombay Berlin Film Productions
Bombay Berlin Film Productions (BBFP) is an Indo-German film production house based in Mumbai and Berlin, Germany. Their filmography includes the Indian/Marathi production Radius – Trijya, by Akshay Indikar, which had its world premiere at Shanghai International film festival, and won the National Award for Sound Design. It traveled to Tallinn Black Nights, Dhaka and other festivals.
Their maiden Production LOEV (dir. Sudhanshu Saria) was on Netflix in 180 countries for 5 years. The film had its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights, traveling further to Guadalajara, Mexico, South By SouthWest in Austin and 40 other festivals. The Road to Mandalay (dir. Midi Z) where they were German Co-Producers, won the Fedora Award at Venice 2016. Their latest short, Muhafiz, by Pradipta Ray, opened at BFI Flare and has been nominated for BAFTA qualifying IRIS Prize film festival.
PUNISHMENT |English| United Kingdom, India
Director - Isher Sahota
After being selected for a coveted place on the BBC’s New Directors scheme, Isher has directed Doctors and Father Brown for BBC Studios, Hollyoaks for Lime Pictures/Channel 4, and McDonald & Dodds for Mammoth Screen/ITV. Isher is currently directing Film 2 of Series 3 of Grace for Tall Story/ITV. His most recent short film, a period comedy called Goodnight Henry, is currently on the international festival circuit and won Best Comedy at Flickers Rhode Island. Backed by the BFI, it stars Joseph Marcell, Sharon Rooney, and Ryan Gage. In early 2021, Isher observed the unique effects of the pandemic on the Indian community of Southall. He diverged from fiction filmmaking to direct a documentary for Vice World News. Following his participation on a BAFTA jury, Isher was invited to become a full voting member in 2021. Isher has just completed his debut feature The Effects of Lying.
Producer - Jon Tarcy
Jon is a producer and actor. He has recently completed his first feature film The Effects of Lying, directed by Isher Sahota, and starring Ace Bhatti, Laila Rouass, Lauren Patel & Mark Williams. Previously he collaborated with Isher producing the TV pilot Life in Black starring Liam Neeson and Jemma Redgrave, which sold to Company Pictures. Jon has also produced several award-winning short films, including most recently a series of short films based on the work of celebrated Hungarian author István Örkény for the Hungarian Film Institute. He is also an associate producer at Raindance Film Festival, having produced a cross-collaboration for them with the British Council in Tunisia, as well as their monthly film club. He also produces a regular live event at Soho House called West End Songs featuring some of the biggest singers in London’s west end. He has recently been selected for the 2022 BAFTA Connect scheme.
QUISSA -E- CIRCUS (A Ballad Of The Circus) | Hindi |India, Japan
Director - Savita Singh
After her post-graduation in Motion Picture Cinematography (2008) from the Film and Television Institute of India, Savita Singh carved a niche for herself with her films Kramasha, Saatvi Sair, Ventilator and Hawaizaada. She has shot 6 features, 3 OTT series for Netflix, Amazon prime and award winning shorts. She has won two National Film Awards for Best Cinematography (Kramasha and Sonsi), the highest film award conferred by the President of India. Sonsi won the ‘Best Film’ in Indian Competition at the Bangalore International Short Film festival and qualified to enter the Oscar shorts in the year 2021. In 2017, She co-founded Indian Women Cinematographer’s Collective (IWCC) and was conferred with a lifetime membership of INDIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS in the year 2021.
Producer - Kyoko Dan
Born in Kobe, Japan, Kyoko Dan has been working for Asian Cinema (Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese, Iranian and Indian films) as a distributor, buyer and the publicist since 1987. She is an adviser and committee member for Busan and Shanghai International Film Festival and is now producing films with Indian Female Filmmakers. Her Producer filmography includes Urumi, Tahaan and Inam for Santosh Sivan.
SHEEN (Snow) | Hindi, Kashmiri, English | India
Director - Shazia Khan
Shazia Khan is an award-winning Indian filmmaker, with over 15 years in the field as director, cinematographer, and producer. Her internationally acclaimed films, Caravan, Salam India and Sama Muslim Mystic Music of India; profoundly document the historical, ethnographic and spiritual coexistence of diverse faiths within Indian democracy. Her work has been shown on Aljazeera, BBC, Dutch TV, etc. and in over fifty international film festivals. Born in the conflict-torn state of Kashmir, she is passionate about human rights, social justice and migration, currently, she is working on her childhood memoirs in a documentary, I Never Left and in a narrative film Snow, which is in development with Anti-Clock Films in Mumbai. Academically she has a master’s degree in mass communication from the renowned A J K MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi and another in film producing from UCLA on a prestigious fellowship from EROS International in 2019.
Producer - Onir Dhar | Anticlock Films
Onir is an Indian film and TV director, editor, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his film My Brother...Nikhil, based on the life of Dominic d'Souza, starring Sanjay Suri and Purab Kohli, Nikhil was one of the first mainstream Hindi films to deal with AIDS and same-sex relationships. Onir won the National Award for his film I Am. Some of his other films are Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz (2018), Shab (2017), Chauranga (2016), I Am (2011), My Name is Abhimanyu (2010), Sorry Bhai (2008), Bas Ek Pal (2006), My Brother Nikhil (2005). Onir is also planning a sequel to his 2011 film I Am, named We Are, production will start soon. He is also working on a SonyLiv web series on Pulwama Attack based on Rahul Pandita’s book.
SMART CITY Hindi | India
Director - Rohin Raveendran
Rohin Raveendran Nair is a writer and director based out of Mumbai. His recent short film, The Booth, produced by Vikramaditya Motwane (Andolan Films) screened at such festivals as POFF Shorts (2019), New York Indian Film Festival (2019) and won Best Short Film award at KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival in 2019. The Booth is currently streaming on MUBI. Rohin's one-minute short film, Paijana won Filminute 2016 - the international one-minute film festival and the jury was led by the Taiwanese auteur, Hou Hsaio-hsien. In 2021, Rohin directed a 60-minute long brand film called 2024, for the mobile group, OnePlus, produced by Andolan Films. The film is a dystopian survival drama set in Mumbai of 2024, when a lethal virus wreaks havoc on this metropolis. 2024 is streaming in India on Disney+Hotstar. Currently, Rohin is developing his debut feature - a psychological horror set in a remote developing city.
Producer - Vikramaditya Motwane | Andolan Films
Vikramaditya Motwane is a writer, director and producer working primarily in Hindi films. He helms the Mumbai-based production house, Andolan Films. His directorial debut, Udaan (2010) was selected to compete in the 'Un Certain Regard' category at Cannes Film Festival in 2010. He has since directed Lootera (2013), Trapped (2016) and Bhavesh Joshi (2018) and was the showrunner and co-director on Sacred Games (2018), Netflix's first Indian original series. His latest directorial project is going to be Jubilee, a 10- episode fiction series for Amazon Prime.
STILL HERE |English, Hindi| USA, India
Director - Mragendra Singh
Mragendra, with a mumblecore indie under his wing, normal distributed by Buffalo 8, premiering at the Oscar qualifying LAAPFF, was born and raised in Bhopal. An engineer turned filmmaker, Mragendra has felt the experience of being a wallflower, prevalent in both LA and India, making him an observer and providing him a lens filled with empathy needed to promote inclusion through stories. Mragendra’s short, Three’s Definitely A Crowd premiered at Oscar qualifying, Pan African Film Festival, is trending on Disney+ Hotstar. His other shorts have amassed awards at many qualifying festivals. He has also made commercials for many LA based companies. His screenplay STILL HERE, got 8 and 7 out of 10 on the BlackList, and his scripts have been semifinalist at Sundance & Nicholl fellowship.
Producer - Aishwarya Sonar
Born and raised in Pune, India, Aishwarya Sonar is a producer and writer working at the intersection of US Projects focused on identity and humanity. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she worked with Priyanka Chopra’s Purple Pebble Pictures, assisting on the national award-winning film, Ventilator. Chitrakut , a feature she executive produced was called 'brilliant' by Majid Majidi and was theatrically distributed in India by Platoon One films receiving a 4/5 from Times of India. Her feature, normal., is distributed by Buffalo 8. Short, Three's Definitely a Crowd, has been trending on disney+/hotstar in India. 417 miles a feature she co-produced is available on Seed & Spark. Her films have played is various festivals winning awards. With 7 years of combined experience in India and LA, Sonar currently has a slate of projects (TV, Film, documentary) in development under her production, Lambe Log Productions.
Producer - Shardul Sharma
Born and raised in Mumbai, Shardul started his career in films at the early age of 16 working with Shiamak Davar. In 2012 Shardul moved to Los Angeles to complete his Film & TV Producing program from the New York Film Academy. He worked as an assistant creative producer at Hyde Park Entertainment, and went on to producing his own films normal., The Odd Essay among other projects which are in development. Sharma has worked with Paramount Studios in physical production and currently works with producing commercials and short form content. His expertise lies in physical production, fundraising and is a master organizer.
Producer - Amanda Lenker Doyle
Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA is a self-proclaimed treasure hunter. An award winning Casting Director, Amanda has been working in film and television casting for 15 years. Some of her favorite credits to date include her most recent work on film R#J (Romeo and Juliet) which swept Sundance and SXSW in 2021,
We Broke UP (Hulu), Black-ish, The Muppets, Fuller House, Zac & Mia (Hulu) and WAYNE (Amazon). Her short, Please Hold, was nominated for the Oscars and is distributed at HBO.
TEEN MULANCHE CHAAR DIWAS (Three Bikes Four Days) |Marathi, Hindi, Gondi | India Director - Alok Rajwade
Alok Rajwade (b. 1989) is an Indian actor, director, singer and painter. In 2009, he was part of the critically acclaimed movie Vihir, directed by Umesh Kulkarni. In 2010, he directed a play titled Geli Ekvis Varsha which was performed at Italy’s Universo Teatro. In 2012, In 2017, he was featured on Forbes India's 30 Under 30 list. Alok played the lead protagonist in the film Kaasav, for which he received critical as well as mass appeal. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film at the 64th National Film Awards. In 2018, he made his directorial debut in Marathi movies through Ashleel Udyog Mitra Mandal, written by Dharmakirti Sumant. In 2019, he was a co-creator of the series titled Safe Journeys. He directed a short film Goshta Ahe Pruthvimolachi in 2021, as a part of a series aimed at mental and sexual health awareness.
Producer - Amey Gosavi
Amey Gosavi (b. 1983) is a film producer, VFX producer and VFX supervisor. He completed his 3-year certificate courses in VFX and Animation in Mumbai with Arena Animation Academy, in 2005. He went on to obtain a Graduate Diploma in VFX and Motion Graphics, from the Media Design School, NZ in 2007. He worked with Toolbox Animation Studio for four years. He founded Loading Pixels for VFX work. He has worked on over 30 films as a VFX Supervisor & VFX Producer. He established Loading Pictures to produce short films, primarily. He has produced three short films and one feature film ever since.
TOUCH ME NOT | Hindi, French, Marathi | India
Director - Anjali Patil
Anjali Patil is lauded for her acting performances in multinational and multicultural projects. Anjali earned her Bachelor’s degree in Drama, with a gold medal from the Centre of Performing Arts at Pune University. Then, she was chosen to pursue her Master's in Theatre Design and Direction at the esteemed NSD, Delhi. Anjali’s own struggles, as an artist, have pushed her to provide a platform for underrepresented communities and individuals. Anjali’s first feature-length project as a director is Neither a Girl Nor a Woman. This documentary explores the social and cultural conditions around genders in contemporary times. It premiered at CSAFF in Chicago. Anjali has received the National Award for Naa Bangaaru Thalli and the Presidential Award of Srilanka for best actress for With You Without You. She has performed in acclaimed features like Mere Pyare Prime Minister, Kaala and Newton, which was India’s official entry to the Oscars 2018.
Producer - Jason Newmark | Newscope Films
Starting his career in 2001 with director Christopher Smith, Jason produced Creep, Severance and Triangle. Creep premiered at Toronto’s Midnight Madness while Severance became the first horror film to be selected for Telluride. In 2011, Jason set up Newscope films, producing the thriller Honour starring Paddy Considine and Channel 4’s International Emmy-nominated political thriller Secret State with Gabrielle Byrne. Most recently Newscope produced Chris Smith’s film Detour starring Tye Sheridan and Bel Powley.
In 2012, Jason established Bigscope Films specializing in genre films. He has recently completed films including Noomi Rapace’s Close and Frederic du Chau’s live-action dog movie Aasha & The Street Dogs, and The Bay Of Silence starring Olga Kurylenko, Claes Bang and Brian Cox. Jason currently has five projects in post-production which include Taj: Royal Blood for Zee5 starring Naseeruddin Shah and Aditi Rao-Hydari, and Gary Shore’s ghost story The Queen Mary with Alice Eve.
LA PRINCESA DE KAPURTHALA (The Princess Of Kapurthala) | Spanish | Spain, United Kingdom, France, India
Director - Michael Radford
Michael James Radford is an Indian-born English film director and screenwriter. He began his career as a documentary director and television comedy writer before transitioning into features in the early 1980s. His best-Known credits include the 1984 film adaptation of George Orwell´s novel starring John Hurt and Richard Burton (in his final role), the Shakespeare adaptation The Merchant Of Venice starring Al Pacino, the thriller drama Flawless starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore. And the 1994 Italian-language comedy drama Il Postino: The Postman, for which he won the BAFTA Awards for Best Direction and Best Film not in the English Language and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Director - Manuel Estudillo
Director and Screenwriter, he has directed more than 20 projects including films, series and miniseries for TV, with shootings in Spain, Cuba, London, Morocco, Tunisia, Brazil, Argentina or India. Throughout his more than twenty years of experience he has worked for the main production companies and TV channels: Atresmedia, TVE, Mediaset, ICAIC, Boomerang TV, Videomedia, Secuoya, Atlantia Media, Zeppelin, Mundo Ficción, BRB internacional or POK Productions. He has received a dozen awards and nominations for his work, including the Audience Award at the Malaga Film Festival for the film El Eden Perdido (Spain-Cuba) starring Ana de Armas. Two of his scripts: Los Mares Del Sur and Queen's Smile were selected by the Sundance Festival for its Scriptwriters-Lab.
Producer - Juan Antonio Casado | Ibolca Films, Pok Production LTD
He is responsible for the production and management Department of Ibolca Films and Pok Production LTD, production company that has acquired the rights for the audiovisual exploitation of The Princess of Kapurthala and The Dream of the Maharani both written by the official biographer, Elisa Vázquez de Gey. Juan Antonio Casado graduated in English philology, and has production experience in theater, radio, TV and films, The Chess Player (2017), The Cosmonaut (2013), The El Escorial Conspiracy (2008) and also takes part in other film projects such as The Stones of David, The Order, 8 Months and Borderland. He has been Technical Advisor of the Ministry of Culture and Liaison Officer for the Program 2000 of the European Commission. Member of the Advisory Committee of the International Foundation for Film Training First Team.
Producer - Davide Cottarelli |Pok Production LTD, Varcale Capital Management
He is responsible for the production and management Department of POK Production LTD with particular focus on financing, negotiation with digital platforms and China market.
He holds a master degree in Public Relations major in Marketing and Advertising. He is founder of Varcale Capital Management a boutique investment company specialized in in Film & TV productions. He is also the Co-founder of the China UK Film Fund. He is the Executive Producer of the film Twist a revised modern take on the classic tale of Oliver Twist, starring Michael Caine, Lena Headey and Rita Ora.
Communiqué from Mr. Ravinder Bhakar MD, NFDC:
“Co-Production Market has been and continues to be the most important segment of the Bazaar. The Market allows the international producers to understand the current trends in cinema from India and South Asia. We are enormously proud of this year’s selection that showcases some of the most diverse, inclusive and groundbreaking stories from Nepal, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, UK, USA and India. We wish them all the best and hope that all these projects will find fitting coproduction match for their forthcoming journey towards a successful completion.”