Cannes India make a mark?

Cannes, May 15 (UNI) World's most famous film festival at Cannes in France opens on May 16. For the 11-day event, which is held annually, it is a special occasion this time. The festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and various special items have been included in its programme to celebrate the occasion.

Cannes (pronounced as Caan) Film Festival had a modest beginning in the 1950s. It may be hard to imagine now, but for two years after its inaugural, the Festival could not be held due to budget constraints. It has travelled a long way since then. It is now funded by the municipal council of the famed beach-resort of Cannes, and has also the solid support of French Government.

More important, well-known film-makers from the Western countries and, increasingly from Asian film industry, try to enter their latest films in the various sections of the Festival. Many of them also take time off to be present, along with their stars, at the annual event. Marche', the film-market in the Festival is also the biggest of its type, and many buyer-seller deals are struck during the event.

India is getting a special place in this year's festival, to coincide with the 60th year of its Independence. A 7-film package of its recent movies has been selected by the Festival for its Tout le Cinema du Monde ("Cinema of the World") section. Those Indian films would inaugurate the Section this year, with showings on May 19-20.

The selected package is a mix of recent block-busters like "Lage Raho Munnabhai" and "Guru" with low-budget products of young film-makers such as Bhawana Talwar ("Dharm"), Mridul Toolsidas ("Missed Call") and Biju. Care has been taken to include films in some regional languages also, such as Bengali ("Dosar"), Tamil ("Veyil") and Malayalam "Saira".

Apart from the directors of these films, some well-known stars from this country are also expected to be present in Cannes during those or other days. Aishwarya Rai has been a regular attendee at the Festival, due to her professional commitments with L'Oreal, the French cosmetic company which is a main sponsor of the Cannes Festival. She could be accompanied by her spouse, Abhishek (also, her co-star in "Guru") and some other members of the Bachchan clan.

As per the trade circles in Mumbai, Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta, among others may also be seen on the famed red-carpet (laid in front of Palais, the main venue) at various times during the fest.

Indian film-industry otherwise has been overlooked in this year's Festival at Cannes. No Indian film has been included in any of the official sections, including the prestigious Competition (which has films from some other Asian countries, such as Japan, South Korea and Israel). The only exception has been a short-film by Kolkata's Raka Dutta (in 'Cinefondation' section). No film personality from India has been included as a member of any of the official juries either. Mr Thierry Fremaux, the festival director of Cannes told an interviewer that it was because "India was represented [in those juries] in the last two years".

For India's film-industry, Cannes has been, and continues to be a challenge. In the recent years, it has relied upon the huge Indian diaspora, with their longings for the home-country, to throng the theatres abroad to watch its products, or to cheer its stars lustily at the many live-shows organized by it in important overseas towns.

The money earned from those has gone a long way to compensate for its many failures at home.

Neither of those factors exists at Cannes. The only two names from India which are well-known to Cannes-watchers have been of the maestro, Satyajit Ray and now, Aishwarya Rai. India's industry had also not taken due advantage in the past of the vast film-market at Cannes to effectively exhibit and sell its wares.

Things are changing but slowly. According to the CII, which is the trade-body pushing India's cause at Cannes, India this year is termed the "Official Partner Country" at Cannes Film-market Party.

Over 30 Indian film companies are scheduled to be a part of the Indian Pavillion in Cannes, 2007. Some biggies like UTV may also show a few of their completed and under-production films like "Metro" (starring Shilpa Shetty) and "Jodha-Akbar"(Aishwarya, Hrithik Roshan). A Bollywood song-and-dance evening at the 'India Focus Party' is being planned for May 18 at the beach of the famed Hotel Majestic on the Croisette. To support all these efforts, a big Indian delegation comprising Ministry officials and industry personalities is visiting Cannes, and would be present during the screening of Indian films and at other events.

Cannes director, Thierry Fremaux feels all this "as a sign of India's return to our festival". Whether this remains just a sign or leads to something big in future, only time would tell.

UNI