MUMBAI: Lights, camera, collaboration! India and Australia are ready for a cinematic crossover as the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has inked two landmark Letters of Intent (LOIs) with Screen Producers Australia (SPA) and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA). Together, they’re rolling out a red carpet for co-productions, preservation and partnerships.
With Screen Producers Australia, the spotlight is on India Connect, a marquee initiative that will see a delegation of Indian producers fly to the Gold Coast in 2026 for Screen Forever, the country’s biggest screen conference. Think project-matching forums, structured networking, and fresh avenues for cultural exchange, a power-packed script designed to spark creative and commercial collaborations across borders.
The second LOI with NFSA is all about safeguarding cinema’s soul. The partnership will focus on film restoration, digitisation, and archival expertise, ensuring that the legacies of both nations remain intact for future generations of cinephiles. Knowledge-sharing and joint preservation practices will form the spine of this alliance, giving old reels a new lease of life.
The curtain rises on these collaborations in late 2025, with timelines rolling into Screen Forever 2026 and beyond. The partnerships will also extend to Waves Bazaar, NFDC’s flagship content and co-production market, hosted alongside IFFI in November. With Australian participation bolstering the line-up, Waves Bazaar promises to be a buzzing hub where stories, ideas and partnerships take centre stage.
As I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju put it, the moves “reaffirm NFDC’s commitment to building global bridges for Indian cinema.” From the Gold Coast to Goa, the script is set for a blockbuster partnership that brings filmmakers, audiences, and archives together in one global reel.