Indian film project secures international partnership after NFDC lab

NFDC said the partnership demonstrates the growing impact of the WAVES Film Bazaar Screenwriters' Lab, which supports emerging writers by combining script development with mentorship, industry networking and market access.

An Indian film project developed through the WAVES Film Bazaar Screenwriters' Lab 2025 has taken a major step towards international production after securing a collaboration between production companies from India and Finland.

The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, announced that "Yayavar – The Migrating Bird" has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for an international partnership, highlighting the growing global reach of Indian independent filmmaking.

India-Finland collaboration to develop the film

The project will be jointly developed by iRoller Media & Entertainment from India and Norse Key Productions from Finland. Under the agreement, iRoller Media & Entertainment will serve as the lead producer, overseeing financing, production planning and execution. Norse Key Productions will manage post-production activities in Finland while supporting the film's international promotion and festival strategy. The collaboration is expected to help position the film for audiences beyond India and strengthen its presence on the global festival circuit.

Screenwriters' Lab continues to open global opportunities

NFDC said the partnership demonstrates the growing impact of the WAVES Film Bazaar Screenwriters' Lab, which supports emerging writers by combining script development with mentorship, industry networking and market access.

Managing Director Prakash Magdum said the programme was created to help original Indian stories move beyond the writing stage and reach international markets. He described the project's journey from the lab to a global production partnership as the kind of outcome the initiative was designed to achieve.

Filmmakers welcome the milestone

Writer, director and producer Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi thanked the NFDC Screenwriters' Lab for supporting the project and expressed enthusiasm about working with partners from India and Finland. NFDC congratulated Dr Trivedi and the collaborating production companies, saying it looks forward to seeing "Yayavar – The Migrating Bird" continue its journey towards international audiences. The organisation also announced that the Call for Entries for the WAVES Film Bazaar Screenwriters' Lab 2026 will open soon, with further details to be released through the WAVES Film Bazaar and NFDC platforms.