Indian films finding new markets across globe

Pananji, Nov 24 (UNI) Non-traditional markets for India films like France, north Europe, Germany and Japan, were growing fast and it was high time that film producers chalked out a strategy for distribution of their films in those markets.

The fact was highlighted by representatives of the film and entertainment industry at a press conference held after the Goa Chief Minister Pratap Singh Rane inaugurated the five-day 'Film Bazar' as part of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here today.

'' The India cinema was now finding viewers beyond the West Asia, UK and North America said Mr Amit Khanna , Chairman Reliance Entertainment Ltd.

''In the last three years, absolute hardcore markets like Germany, France and Japan have been opening up to us, which is quite heartening for us,'' he said.

The most encouraging aspect of all this that the alternative cinema is also now gaining some ground in foreign countries.

In China too, there was huge untapped market, he said and the talks were under way with the country to allow more Indian films.

Recently mainstream cable companies in the United States had started a video on demand for Indian films, a step that would greatly boost the market for these films, as it will check piracy, he said.

The Latin America too was turning out to be promising market for Indian films, and the industry has a plan to dub these films in Spanish to cater to the needs.

Replying to a question, Mr Bobby Bedi, Chairman of the CII National Entertainment Commitee, however, said India had still just half per cent of the global film market, which was a huge gap to be filled and urgent strategies were needed for that.

In such a scenario, producers should not sell total rights of their films to a single distributor. They should sell the rights only for traditional countries and retain the rest to wait for new markets to grow, said Mr Bedi.

Mr Bedi said it was the third year of the IFFI 'Film Bazar' and it has drawn a large number of foreign visitors, who also now wanted to see regional cinema.

''It is not a market for buying and selling but for introducing buyers and sellers,'' he said.

''It is an ideal place to exchange ideas about scripts, semi-developed projects and new development in the industry. It is designed to encourage meetings between producers to strike o-production deals,'' he said.

This year, parallel to the 'Bazaar,' a series of discussions and workshops are also being organised.

Replying to a question. Mr Bedi said the entertainment export was likely to cross Rs 1500 crore this year.

The press conference was also addressed by Mr L Suresh of the south India Film industry and Mr Manmohan Shetty, MD Adlabs.

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