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Tag: Cannes Film festival

  • Govt policies to help media & entertainment ecosystem to generate $53 billion annually by 2025: Anurag Thakur

    Govt policies to help media & entertainment ecosystem to generate $53 billion annually by 2025: Anurag Thakur

    MUMBAI: In the next five years, India will be among the leading quality content producing nations across the globe. The government policies to help the media and entertainment ecosystem to generate $53 billion annually by 2025. There is an old rush amongst broadcasters as well as telcos to set up their own OTT platforms for India. The Indian government will take all measures to speed up co-production collaborations from around the world. The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said this while addressing the India Forum at the famous Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

    The session was moderated by Indian producer, Central Board of Film Certification member and film personality Vani Tripathi Pikoo; Ministry of Information And Broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra; writer, poet and Central Board of Film Certification chairman Prasoon Joshi; Indian actor, writer, director and producer R Madhavan; Indian filmmaker actor, television presenter and entrepreneur and Film and Television Institute of India chairman Shekhar Kapur; Hollywood Reporter editor Scott Roxborough and producer Philip Avril.

    This year marks the 75th year of celebration of both the Cannes Film Festival and the establishment of India-France diplomatic relations. Speaking on the importance of Cannes Thakur said that over the years, ‘Festival de Cannes’ has played a significant role in strengthening Indo-French relations.

    The minister noted historic highs of Indian cinema and said that Indian content has been ruling the hearts and minds of the global audience and the stepping stone was laid by bestowing the Palme d’Or to the prolific Indian filmmaker Chetan Anand’s film Neecha Nagar in 1946 and a decade later in 1956, Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali won the Palme d’Or.

    Today the recognition of our cinematic excellence the world over is set to manifest the country into the ‘content hub of the world’, the Minister added.

    Speaking on India’s current presence in Cannes, the Minister said “India intends to give you – the global audience, a flavour of the country’s cinematic excellence, technological prowess, rich culture and illustrious heritage of storytelling. India’s red carpet presence captured the diversity of our cinematic excellence not only in terms of representation of actors and film-makers from various languages and regions but also on OTT platforms, with a strong presence of music composers and folk artists who have enthralled audiences both young and old”.

    The Minister informed the audience about the presence of Indian startups in Cannes and said the startups from the media and entertainment sector will showcase their technological prowess and pitch to the best from the world of AVGC along with a strong delegation of animation professionals from the sector.

    The Minister informed the audience of the various measures by both the Union and State governments and said while the Center has envisioned major initiatives over the last eight years to boost co-productions, film shoots and film facilitations in India, States like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have formulated their film facilitation policies and provided co-production opportunities. He stated that these efforts aimed at boosting India’s media and entertainment ecosystem, which is expected to generate $53 billion annually by 2025.

    In one such measure, he said, “The government officially designated audiovisual services as one of 12 ‘champion service sectors’ and recently set up an AVGC task force comprising of industry leaders to prepare a policy roadmap for India to take a quantum leap in this sector and position us as the preferred ‘post-production hub of the world’ “.

    Thakur added that on one hand artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and immersive technologies such as the metaverse, present immense possibilities to India’s IT skilled workforce, the OTT market in India is predicted to grow by 21 per cent annually to nearly $2 billion by 2024 on the other.

    The minister promised that the government will take all necessary measures to transform India into a ‘Global Content Sub Continent’ and use the skills of our youth to make India the preferred post-production hub for the AVGC sector and to that end government will speed up co-production collaborations from around the world and also offer the best locations in India for Film Shoots. These Thakur envisioned, will in the next five years, catapult Bharat into the league of leading quality content producing nations across the globe.

    Thakur concluded his statement by extending a warm invitation to shoot in India, bask in its hospitality and relish its landscape.

    Meanwhile, Kapur spoke about the effect of access to cheap broadband and mobile devices having a disruptive effect on movie industry and said that India is about to become the world’s biggest ‘influencer economy’ and that cinema will soon be redefined by the young film makers.

    “India is a pool of restless dreams, dreams that are restless to make it big, of looking forward”, said Prasoon Joshi to the comment Kapur. Joshi further added that India has more and more self-belief, and that it shows in terms of the quality of recent cinematic productions. “When a civilisation can express its core authentically, he argued, it becomes even stronger,” he said.

    Chandra cited movies like “Lunchbox”, “Mr and Mrs Iyer” and “Rocketry” that are typically Indian in their story but have resonated with audiences across the world. He further reiterated the incentives announced by the government for filmmakers from across the world.

    Madhavan commented on how India has so much to tell the world in the field of science and technology and the cinema world must explore this idea. From Aryabhatta to Sundar Pichai India has extraordinary stories which are aspirations of youngsters around the world. Madhvan also argued that the advance of new technologies is offering new opportunities to the cinema industry. He reminded the audience that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the micro economy has grown spectacularly; he suggested that digitalisation will offer new avenues to shine for Indian cinema.

    Avril who has worked in the past with Tamil and Malayalam movies, applauded the move, which he labelled as significant. He further commented that India has immense talent and extraordinary potential in terms of story-telling but that cultural barriers can sometimes prevent stories to reach foreign audiences. To ensure that Indian stories are not lost in translation and effectively reach foreign audiences, Avril noted the importance of encouraging co-production across countries, which is precisely the strategy of the government.

  • I&B minister Anurag Thakur announces sops for shooting of foreign films in India

    I&B minister Anurag Thakur announces sops for shooting of foreign films in India

    MUMBAI: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Wednesday inaugurated the India Pavilion at Cannes Film Market ‘Marche du Film’.

    To make the country a favourite destination for foreign films, Thakur also unveiled two schemes to incentivize the shooting of foreign films and foreign co-productions with India. The two schemes viz Incentive Scheme for Audio-Visual Co-production and the Incentive Scheme for Shooting foreign films in India are aimed at unleashing the potential of India’s media and entertainment industry.

    Talking about the aspects of the incentives, the minister said that for official co-productions, international film production companies can claim a reimbursement of up to 30 per cent on qualifying expenditure in India subject to a maximum of Rs 2 crore. Foreign films shooting in India can claim an additional 5 per cent bonus up to a maximum of Rs 50 lakhs (USD 65,000) as additional reimbursement would be granted for employing 15 per cent or more manpower in India.  

    The schemes will provide an impetus to global collaborations with India and attract investment from foreign filmmakers and help promote India as a filming destination, the Minister said.  

    Expounding the deep social roots of Indian cinema Thakur said that creativity, excellence, and innovation in Indian cinema have developed hand in hand with sensitive treatment of subjects of social and national importance. “While reflecting the values, beliefs, and experiences of the Indian people, Indian cinema has also showcased their hopes, dreams and achievements. While being rooted in Indian culture, the Indian film industry has grown to acquire a universal character. And while preserving our age old stories, the India film makers are innovating in their art of storytelling through use of technology”, the Minister added. “Indian cinema is not only the story of a 6000 year old civilisation, not only the story of 1.3 billion tales but also the story of human talent, triumph and the trajectory of New India narrated through your lens,” the Minister remarked.

     “Bharat ka cinema, daurna chahta hai, udna chahta hai Bus rukna nahi chahta”, paraphrasing a dialogue from the movie ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Diwaani’, Thakur said that through the beautiful journey Indian cinema has inspired global film makers and also been inspired by them and 2020s are the best time to make art and films in India.

    Indian cinema is undergoing a paradigm shift, he said and added, “Over the last few years, the streaming revolution has taken the country by storm, and the popularity of digital/ OTT platforms has changed how films are created, distributed and consumed. Consumers of global and Indian cinema have more choice than ever before”.

    Speaking on the strong intent of the government to make India a favourite filming destination, Thakur said, “We have a strong intellectual property regime, and the digital medium now complements the other more established modes of consumption and dissemination such as theatres and movies. This has brought about a democratisation of consumer choice like never before, and our government is intent on preserving this via support to the creative industries.”

    Crediting the film restoration work for its scale, Thakur said that the government has embarked on the world’s largest film restoration project under the National Film Heritage Mission and as part of this drive, 2200 movies across languages and genres will be restored to their former glory.

  • India possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world: PM Modi

    India possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world: PM Modi

    Mumbai: India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has expressed happiness on the country’s participation as ‘Country of Honour’ at the Cannes Film festival this year. In a message, the prime minister noted that India’s participation comes at the momentous meeting of celebration of 75 years of India’s independence, 75th anniversary of Cannes Film Festival and 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and France.

    Positioning India as the largest film producing country in the world, PM Modi said that multifariousness of the country’s film sector is remarkable and rich heritage and cultural diversity are its strengths. “India has a lot of stories to be told and the country truly possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world,” the prime minister added.

    Reiterating India’s commitment to improve ease of doing business in the film sector, PM Modi said that from facilitating international film co-production to ensuring single window clearance mechanism for permissions for filming across the country, India offers seamless possibilities to filmmakers of the world.

    The prime minister further expressed happiness that a Satyajit Ray film has been restored for screening in the Cannes Classic Section as India celebrates the birth centenary of the maestro.

    Among one of the many firsts, startups from India will showcase their strengths to the cine-world. The prime minister expressed confidence that India pavilion will display facets of Indian cinema and promote international partnerships and learnings.

    India is the official Country of Honour at the upcoming Marche’ du Film, that is organised alongside the 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival in France which kicked off on Tuesday. Actress Deepika Padukone is one of the jury members at the Cannes Film Festival. The Country of Honour status ensures India’s presence as Focus Country at the opening night of Marche du Film being organised at the Majestic Beach with spotlight on India, its cinema, its culture and heritage.

    India is also a Country of Honour 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, the world premiere of the film “Rocketry” – produced by R Madhavan – is scheduled to be showcased at the Palais des Festivals of the market screening on 19 May.

    The Indian delegation is led by union minister Anurag Thakur and consists of film celebrities from across the country.

  • Cosmos-Maya’s next international co-production is a spin-off series of the much talked about 3D Animation feature film Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa

    Cosmos-Maya’s next international co-production is a spin-off series of the much talked about 3D Animation feature film Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa

    MUMBAI: Cosmos-Maya, a production house which has for long been pushing the boundaries of quality and aesthetics with its animated content is now going a step even further. Their next venture is another high quality 3D animation international co-production – a spin-off series based on the recently released film Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa.

    Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa, a film produced by Gruppo Alcuni was screened at the Cannes Film Festival lately. This is another great achievement for the film which premièred in Italy in January. Gruppo Alcuni is one of the leading companies in the Italian and European animation production sector. To date their series and the feature films have been distributed in over 137 countries worldwide.

    After capturing hearts in Italy, the film released last month in the cinemas of Russia CIS and South Korea respectively and will release in China next month.

    Taking this success forward, the Italy based Rai Ragazzi and Gruppo Alcuni and Singapore & India based Cosmos-Maya have come together to co-produce the spin-off, Leo da Vinci, a children’s cartoon series which will air on Rai TV. The series looks to capitalize on the popularity of the movie as well as the admiration of the national icon. The series will have 52 episodes of 13 minutes each.

    This is Cosmos-Maya’s second association with Rai TV, the biggest Italian public broadcaster.

    Leo, a 15 year old version of Leonardo da Vinci is the protagonist of the show. His curiosity and will to learn enable him to keep inventing new and unique machines. These he uses to have fun with his friends, Lisa and Lorenzo. He also uses these inventions to keep evil at bay. Blue Pirate, assisted by henchmen Francis and Cicala, provides the villainy aspect to the show.

    Cosmos-Maya has stayed ahead of the curve by striving to enhance the quality of animation with each new project it undertakes. Leo da Vinci is a testament to the company’s superior prowess in the field of high quality animation.

    Anish Mehta, CEO Cosmos-Maya added, “We brought in the 3D animation revolution in India with Motu Patlu and with each subsequent show, pushed all the envelopes of quality. Inspector Chingum, our latest show, which is currently on air has the finest 3-D animation quality for an Indian series. Now with Leo da Vinci’s global appeal and universal storytelling, we are taking a step forward internationally. The pedigree of a major European production house like Gruppo Alcuni and people’s familiarity with Leonardo da Vinci and his work will enable the series to have a reach of more than 100 countries. This is what attracted us to this project in the first place.”  

    Sergio Manfio, President and Creative Director of Gruppo Alcuni and Director of the Series said, “Leonardo’s achievements interest adults more than children. He has done such great things that seem incredible to us. However, to the little ones, who carry with them the gift of imagination, they seem almost normal. So we wanted to create something for Leonardo to be accessible to them and then in our film we added pirates, the flight. We wanted to combine fantasy with genius. With Cosmos-Maya’s proven track record, we are confident that the series will be a success worldwide.”

  • Enough potential in urban India before going rural: L’Oréal Paris

    MUMBAI: It was 1993 when French beauty brand L’Oréal Paris made its way to India. An instant hit with the newly privatised economy, the brand has been a favourite of Indian women in the ensuing two decades.

    Considered as a young player in India’s cosmetics market, L’Oréal is the fastest-growing beauty company in the company with an annual average of 30.2 per cent and has representation in over 800,000 points of sale. It is the third leading operator in the Indian cosmetics market with a 10 per cent market share in the urban areas, claims the company.

    The beauty and personal care market in India is valued at Rs 81,000 core. The India revenue of L’Oreal, according to industry estimates, is currently Rs 3,000-3,500 crore a year. In order to cater to the Indian market optimally, the cosmetics group has, over the years, launched several brands across various product categories.

    In order to be up-to-date, L’Oréal follows a combination of traditional and new-age media for marketing and advertising. L’Oréal Paris general manager Raagjeet Garg says that the company looks at television, digital, social media platforms, digital videos, outdoor and other BTL media to connect with consumers.

    The brand invests heavily on marketing every year and the number is only increasing yoy to ensure it reaches a wider number of consumers and with a differentiated campaign. Going forward, the company will look at creating more India-specific products.

    L’Oréal is trying to shake off the luxury brand image. As a matter of fact, its products start at Rs 3 (for a sachet of shampoo).

    In interior India, the brand faces stiff competition from local products but the brand is still pursuing urban consumers since the saturation point hasn’t yet been hit. Garg says, “There is enough potential to get enough consumers in the urban population before we start targeting the rural areas. The objective eventually will be to speak to as many consumers as possible but that will happen in a phased manner and we want to get the urban and tier 1, tier 2 markets first and then talk about the rest of the consumers around the country.”

    The L’Oréal Paris brand encompasses the four major beauty categories — hair colour, cosmetics, hair care, and skin care — and includes brands as Excellence Crème, Total Repair 5 hair care, Pure Clay masks, White Perfect, Fall Repair, Revitalift, Volume Million Lashes mascara, Color Riche lipsticks, Superliners and True Match foundations among many others.

    With its signature phrase, “Because We’re Worth It”, the brand wants to inspire women to embrace their own unique beauty and reinforce their sense of self-worth.

    India being a strategic country for L’Oréal international, it picked the right A-list Bollywood actresses as brand ambassadors – Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. These women encompass a wide range of target audiences in terms of age group and lifestyle.

    The brand also recently celebrated 21 glorious years as the official make-up partner for the Festival de Cannes. Garg says, “I think if the relationship is beautiful, you just want to nurture the relationship and that’s exactly what we do with Cannes. Each year we realise it is only getting better and better.”

    The Cannes Film Festival will take place from the 8 to 18 May where Padukone will be walking the red carpet for the second time along with Rai-Bachchan, who will be completing 17 years at the festival. Kapoor will be seen for the eighth time at Cannes along with other spokespersons including Julianne Moore, Helen Mirren and Doutzen Kroes.

    Garg pointed out that Cannes association is not ROI driven or to create brand visibility but rather to democratise that beauty is for everyone. The company will soon be making its Cannes collection available at its L’Oréal Paris counters and some e-commerce sites in India.

    Also Read :

    Mirza and the art of brand endorsement

    The comeback of iconic brands

    Unibic makes a dent in the cookie segment

    RAW Pressery working on slow but steady expansion

  • Cannes Lions awards lifetime achievement to Piyush & Prasoon Pandey

    Cannes Lions awards lifetime achievement to Piyush & Prasoon Pandey

    MUMBAI: Ogilvy South Asia executive chairman and creative director Piyush Pandey and film director Prasoon Pandey will both be honoured with the Cannes Lions’ Lifetime Achievement Award, the Lion of St Mark.

    In an email addressed to Piyush and Prasoon Pandey, Ascential Events CEO Philip Thomas wrote, “Next year we would like to honour you both, as two brothers who have changed the face of creativity in India and far beyond.”

    Piyush Pandey says, “This is a huge, huge honour. I am humbled and immensely grateful to the people of India. It is the richness and diversity of this nation that gave my brother and me the opportunity to learn and create good work. I am also indebted to my clients, my colleagues and Ogilvy who gave me the support and the freedom to fly. Thank you, Cannes Lions, for giving every creative professional in my country a reason to believe that if Prasoon and Piyush can do it, so can they.”

    In addition to the innumerable accolades that have been awarded to Piyush, he is the first Asian to be jury president of the Cannes Film Festival in 2004, in 2012 he was bestowed with the lifetime achievement award from CLIO, the lifetime achievement award by AAAI and in 2016 he became the first person ever in the advertising and communication sector to receive the Padma Shri, an award conferred by the president of India.

    The Lion of St Mark is the highest honour that the Cannes International Festival of Creativity bestows on creative geniuses within the communications industry. Previous recipients have included David Droga, John Hegarty, Lee Clow and Marcello Serpa, Dan Wieden, Joe Pytka and Bob Greenberg.

    This is the 8th Lion of St Mark awarded by the Cannes Film Festival. The award will formally be given to Piyush and Prasoon Pandey at the Cannes Festival on 22 June 2018. They will be the first Asians to receive the Lion of St Mark.

  • L’Oreal Paris ambassadors brighten red carpet at Cannes Film Festival

    MUMBAI: The French Riviera village of Cannes and its festival of films is a location that L’Oreal Paris uses to showcase its ambassadors. This year was no different as India’s leading ladies along with some global icons did the honors.

    Hindi film actress and fashion diva Sonam Kapoor, India’s best known actress Asihwarya Rai Bachchan, walked the red carper outside the famed Grand Auditorium of the Palais du Festivals. And the international names included: Araya Hargate, Andie Macdowell and Heike Makatsch stunned everyone with their grace and elegance.

    India’s favourite fashion diva and style icon, Sonam Kapoor was the epitome of grace and elegance in an exquisite pink ensemble custom made by Elie Saab. Teaming it with custom made rose gold jewellery from Kalyan Jewelers and hair tied in a wispy do, Sonam carried the look with a lot of panache. She channelled a dewy look using True Match Lumi Liquid Highlighter in Rose and accentuated her lovely eyes with La Palette Nude eyeshadow in Gold and True Match Lumi Power in Rose, finishing it with Superliner Black Lacquer and dollops of Superstar Mascara. Flaunting a never seen before pretty pink pout by blending Tint Caresse Lip Cushion in Rose Blossom with Peach Blossom, Sonam stole the spotlight with her effervescent style.

    Araya Hargate hit the red carpet in an Alexis Mabille Fall 2014 Couture gown, with her maternity style not holding her back one bit. She paired it with diamond and emerald Chopard jewels giving the look a regal touch. With the pink lips, smokey eyes and a sleek bun, her overall look was elegance at its finest topped off her appearance and added the required elegance to her overall look.

    Andie Macdowell worked a striking angle for the premiere of ‘The Meyerowitz Stories’ in a Roberto Cavalli Couture design with a bow-topped bodice in a violet hue and a thigh-high slit. The Giuseppe Zanotti pumps, gemstone Chopard earrings coupled with the smokey eyes and sensuous pink lips added the required drama to her look.

    Love Actually star Heike Makatsch arrived on the red carpet in a white and skewed number by Kaviar Gauche. She added a splash of summer glamour to the evening with a dewy look, pink lips and the perfectly winged eyeliner.

  • Nice terror attack, Cannes and the Palais des Festivals

    Nice terror attack, Cannes and the Palais des Festivals

    The date: 14 July. The location: The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai’s Colaba area. French consul general Yves Perrin plays host to businessmen, politicians, artistes, entertainment professionals, journalists like he does every year on Bastille Day to celebrate France’s National Day. Wine, champagne, and a mouth watering menu of French cuisine is rustled up by the Taj’s chefs and served to those who have a linkage with France. That’s of course after the customary playing of the French national anthem and the speech by the honorary counsel general. The evening proceeds well and late into the night as guests mingle and enjoy each other’s company.

    Some 4,000-odd miles away in the picturesque city of Nice in the south of France, the entire Palais des Anglais is choc-a-bloc with general members of the public. The mood is celebratory. The bright summer sky, and the azure blue sea, are what the French Riviera town is known and has drawn tens of thousands of tourists during the holiday period.

    The local Nice government has planned an evening of fireworks and music to celebrate France’s National Day. Tourists and locals have been looking forward to an evening of revelry and gaiety. The main street is cordoned off courtesy the roadblocks that have been erected. Young couples with their children in prams, some with their elderly parents, kids with their parents, groups of young are lounging about, walking around relaxed.

    Suddenly, a white truck comes down the crowded road, swaying from side to side, driven at 40-50 miles per hour in a zig-zag motion and bodies start to fly. A scramble starts as word gets around further down the Promenade that a killer is on the loose. In the meanwhile, scores are hit by the white truck; some die on the spot; some are critically injured.

    In a matter of a few more minutes, the police shoot and kill the driver of the truck. Before that, however, the manic truck has inflicted maximum damage. On the street lie mangled, broken, twisted bodies, bleeding.

    Celebration has turned to shock. 84 people die, 10 children, and many more are hospitalized, critically injured.

    The horror of that attack spreads across the world. A must-visit tourist destination, Nice has been relatively safe for years and is the gateway to Cannes, which houses the Palais des Festivals. A majority of the world’s biggest and most famous exhibitions and festivals are held in the building– the Lions, the Film Festival, Mipcom, MipTV, Midem, Toys, Mipim and many others. Nice airport is where everybody lands and takes a cab or a bus to Cannes.

    About 300 film professionals from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh attend the Cannes Film Festival, another 100-odd ad & marketing executives the Cannes Lions, and about 400 attend the TV and music markets – Mipcom, Mip TV and Midem every year.

    Cannes is where Indian broadcast, film, animation, production and music executives go to do business, buying and selling content, signing co-production and syndication deals. And have been doing so for many years.

    Should they continue visiting it now? Is it safe enough?

    Indeed, it is as safe as Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel where France’s National Day celebrations were held on the same ill-fated evening. One can’t forget that a few years ago, the Taj Mahal Hotel itself was the target of a terrorist attack which left hundreds dead. Did we stop visiting the Taj Mahal Hotel?

    Visitors to Cannes and its exhibitions can be assured that France is going to step up its security to maximum. An additional 10,000 soldiers have been deployed on its streets. A state of emergency has been extended by another three months. Border controls are being strengthened. Because Nice has been hit, it is going to get heightened security attention. Ditto with Cannes .

    Expect visa formalities for those wanting to visit Schengen nations to get stricter (so please apply for your visas early; don’t make last minute applications). Expect airport security to be more vigilant. Already for the past six months visitors to Nice have had to go through an additional immigration check at the airport even if they have made their entry into Europe from another country.

    Additionally, even the administrators of the towns of Nice and Cannes are going to take strong security measures to build confidence and really keep visitors safe. One has to only go back to the measures that the Palais des Festivals took after the 911 attacks, with body scans and X-ray machines. Queues used to be pretty long then.

    Reed Midem is also going put its best behind making Mipcom –which is the next big event slated to take place from 15-20 October in Cannes – safer for attendees. And it has been known take extreme measures to support its clients. Like refunding money to clients who were afflicted by the floods during the festival last year. Like contributing to the Cannes city to help it in its rehabilitation.

    Most agree that the only way to keep at bay those who want to damage nations and their people is to stay resolute and continue to do business as usual. Let us translate that into action.

    (Anil Wanvari is the founder, editor in chief of the Indiantelevision.com group and also the India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh representative of Reed Midem’s Mipcom, MipTV, Midem and Mipim markets)

  • Nice terror attack, Cannes and the Palais des Festivals

    Nice terror attack, Cannes and the Palais des Festivals

    The date: 14 July. The location: The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai’s Colaba area. French consul general Yves Perrin plays host to businessmen, politicians, artistes, entertainment professionals, journalists like he does every year on Bastille Day to celebrate France’s National Day. Wine, champagne, and a mouth watering menu of French cuisine is rustled up by the Taj’s chefs and served to those who have a linkage with France. That’s of course after the customary playing of the French national anthem and the speech by the honorary counsel general. The evening proceeds well and late into the night as guests mingle and enjoy each other’s company.

    Some 4,000-odd miles away in the picturesque city of Nice in the south of France, the entire Palais des Anglais is choc-a-bloc with general members of the public. The mood is celebratory. The bright summer sky, and the azure blue sea, are what the French Riviera town is known and has drawn tens of thousands of tourists during the holiday period.

    The local Nice government has planned an evening of fireworks and music to celebrate France’s National Day. Tourists and locals have been looking forward to an evening of revelry and gaiety. The main street is cordoned off courtesy the roadblocks that have been erected. Young couples with their children in prams, some with their elderly parents, kids with their parents, groups of young are lounging about, walking around relaxed.

    Suddenly, a white truck comes down the crowded road, swaying from side to side, driven at 40-50 miles per hour in a zig-zag motion and bodies start to fly. A scramble starts as word gets around further down the Promenade that a killer is on the loose. In the meanwhile, scores are hit by the white truck; some die on the spot; some are critically injured.

    In a matter of a few more minutes, the police shoot and kill the driver of the truck. Before that, however, the manic truck has inflicted maximum damage. On the street lie mangled, broken, twisted bodies, bleeding.

    Celebration has turned to shock. 84 people die, 10 children, and many more are hospitalized, critically injured.

    The horror of that attack spreads across the world. A must-visit tourist destination, Nice has been relatively safe for years and is the gateway to Cannes, which houses the Palais des Festivals. A majority of the world’s biggest and most famous exhibitions and festivals are held in the building– the Lions, the Film Festival, Mipcom, MipTV, Midem, Toys, Mipim and many others. Nice airport is where everybody lands and takes a cab or a bus to Cannes.

    About 300 film professionals from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh attend the Cannes Film Festival, another 100-odd ad & marketing executives the Cannes Lions, and about 400 attend the TV and music markets – Mipcom, Mip TV and Midem every year.

    Cannes is where Indian broadcast, film, animation, production and music executives go to do business, buying and selling content, signing co-production and syndication deals. And have been doing so for many years.

    Should they continue visiting it now? Is it safe enough?

    Indeed, it is as safe as Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel where France’s National Day celebrations were held on the same ill-fated evening. One can’t forget that a few years ago, the Taj Mahal Hotel itself was the target of a terrorist attack which left hundreds dead. Did we stop visiting the Taj Mahal Hotel?

    Visitors to Cannes and its exhibitions can be assured that France is going to step up its security to maximum. An additional 10,000 soldiers have been deployed on its streets. A state of emergency has been extended by another three months. Border controls are being strengthened. Because Nice has been hit, it is going to get heightened security attention. Ditto with Cannes .

    Expect visa formalities for those wanting to visit Schengen nations to get stricter (so please apply for your visas early; don’t make last minute applications). Expect airport security to be more vigilant. Already for the past six months visitors to Nice have had to go through an additional immigration check at the airport even if they have made their entry into Europe from another country.

    Additionally, even the administrators of the towns of Nice and Cannes are going to take strong security measures to build confidence and really keep visitors safe. One has to only go back to the measures that the Palais des Festivals took after the 911 attacks, with body scans and X-ray machines. Queues used to be pretty long then.

    Reed Midem is also going put its best behind making Mipcom –which is the next big event slated to take place from 15-20 October in Cannes – safer for attendees. And it has been known take extreme measures to support its clients. Like refunding money to clients who were afflicted by the floods during the festival last year. Like contributing to the Cannes city to help it in its rehabilitation.

    Most agree that the only way to keep at bay those who want to damage nations and their people is to stay resolute and continue to do business as usual. Let us translate that into action.

    (Anil Wanvari is the founder, editor in chief of the Indiantelevision.com group and also the India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh representative of Reed Midem’s Mipcom, MipTV, Midem and Mipim markets)

  • Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    MUMBAI: Netflix has added the critically acclaimed movie Divines to its bouquet at Cannes film festival. The movie will be available to the members exclusively in most of the world later this year.

    Described by critics as one of the best young-adult films to come out of France in recent years, the funny, often suspenseful and emotional drama tells the story of Dounia, a tough but naive teenager who sees getting rich or dying while trying as her most viable option. Set in a ghetto near Paris where drugs and religion reign supreme, Dounia is hungry for her share of power and success. Enlisting the help of her best friend, she decides to follow the footsteps of a respected dealer. When Dounia meets a young sensuous dancer, her life takes a surprising turn.

    Houda Benyamina’s directorial debut received rave reviews from critics and was awarded the Caméra d’Or, an award at the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film of a director. Critics heaped praise on Oulaya Amamra’s “breakout” performance as Dounia.

    “We saw Divines before it was award winning, praised by critics and received a standing ovation at Cannes, we immediately recognized it as an extraordinary film and acquired it early on,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “We’re passionate about bringing our members great films from around the world and thrilled to bring Benyamina’s debut film to our members.”

    “Emotions bring people together and are a reflection of society. Thanks to Netflix, Divines will cross borders and the world will be able to enjoy this universal story of love and friendship,” said filmmaker Houda Benyamina. “I am very happy with the collaboration with Netflix.”

    Netflix members everywhere, except France, will be able to watch Divines later this year. In France, Divines will not be available on Netflix until 2019 in accordance with French media chronology rules.

    Other Netflix acquisitions at Cannes

    Netflix aims to bring the best film, series, documentaries and kids programming from around the world. It has already announced the acquisition of Wheelman, which stars Frank Grillo in a film directed by Jeremy Rush that will have a worldwide premiere on Netflix in 2017.

    Another Cannes film prize winner Netflix members everywhere can look forward to is French director Sacha Wolff’s Mercenary (Mercenaire). The film tells the story of Soane, a young man of Wallisian origin from New Caledonia, who defies his father’s authority to go and play rugby in France. Left to his own devices on the other side of the world, his odyssey will take him on the path to becoming a man in a world where there is a price to be paid for success.

    Other acquisitions from Cannes that Netflix members will be able to watch include:

    Raman Raghav 2.0 – A thriller from ace Indian director Anurag Kashyap. Ramanna, a serial killer fascinated by a psychopath from the 60s, and Raghavan, a young policeman, are waging a battle without mercy. But who is really the one being chased?

    Aquarius – A drama from Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho centered around Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic who is the last resident of the Aquarius, an original two-storey building, built in the 1940s, in the upper-class, seaside Avenida Boa Viagem, Recife. All the neighbouring apartments have already been acquired by a company which has other plans for that plot. Clara has pledged to only leave her place upon her death. (Aquarius will be on Netflix in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Latin America (outside of Brazil) and UK with other regions to be confirmed.)

    The Day Will Come – A Danish drama directed by Jesper Nielsen developed and written by Søren Sveistrup, known from hit shows like The Killing. Set in the 1960s, The Day Will Come centers around two inseparable brothers, Elmer and Erik, who are locked in a boy’s home and engage in a battle against the tyrannical Headmaster Heck to set themselves free.

    Very Big Shot – feature debut of Lebanese director Jean Bou Chaaya. The comedy deals with brothers Ziad and Joe who run a small but lucrative drug-dealing business out of their takeout pizzeria in one of Beirut’s working-class districts. With their youngest brother Jad about to be released from prison, Ziad and Joe plan to go straight, but their supplier is not keen to see his dealers retire.

    Journey to Greenland – A French comedy directed by Sébastien Betbeder. Two thirty-something actors from Paris hit a rough patch and decide to leave the city and fly away to Kullorsuaq, one of the most remote villages of Greenlands. Among the Inuit community, they discover the local customs and their friendship is challenged.