69th BIFF: European Film Market officials interested to work with India

As the India Pavilion was inaugurated at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, officials of the European Film Market (EFM) expressed interest to work with India and collaborate for the golden jubilee celebrations of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The India Pavilion was inaugurated by Matthijis Wouter Knol, Director, EFM. Paramita Tripathi, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Berlin, and Peter Domsch, Head of Sales and Technical Department, EFM, were also present on the occasion.

The poster of IFFI 2019 was also inaugurated during the inaugural ceremony, read a PIB statement. Members of the Indian delegation, including Chaitanya Prasad, Additional Director General, Directorate of Film Festivals, and G.C. Aron, Director, Films, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, apprised the EFM representatives about the significance of the golden jubilee celebration of IFFI, the recent policy initiatives of the government to ensure ease of filming in India, setting up of Film Facilitation Office, launch of the web portal www.ffo.gov.in for online application for film shooting at a single point and efforts of the government through amendment to the Cinematograph Act to tackle film piracy.

Knol said the stakeholders of EFM would actively consider participating in IFFI this year. He also underlined that the participation would pave a way forward for a more proactive interaction between the Indian stakeholders and the industry with the organisers of Berlinale in future.

Tripathi said the Indian mission in Berlin would undertake constant engagement in future with Indian and German stakeholders at the EFM to promote a viable exchange in all areas related to participation in IFFI 2019 and the Berlin Film Festival along with working towards widening prospects of shooting of films in India. Prior to the inaugural ceremony, the Indian delegation interacted with Carlo Chatrian, Festival Director Designate, Berlin Film Festival, regarding future collaborations of participating in IFFI Goa 2019. He expressed hope that there will be more active participation from the Indian government and other stakeholders in the future editions of Berlinale.

(With inputs from agencies.)