India looking for further growing its content footprint in Cannes
CII takes Media and Entertainment Industry to Cannes Film Festival consecutively for 22nd year in a row

17th May 2023; Cannes, France; Showcasing India’s cultural economy and content hub of the world, where the two dominant themes that got reflected when Dr. L. Murugan,  Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and H.E. Shri Javed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to France, and Shri Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India inaugurated the CII-India Market Pavilion in the ongoing 76th Cannes Film Festival.

Inaugurating the Pavilion, Dr. Murugan said that India is the content hub of the world with largest number of films produced here.

He further said, “Content is playing a crucial role in the cinema industry, whether it is regional, national, or international. Now, particularly cinemas from the south India are representing India at the global level whether it is RRR, Bahubali, KGF, PS-I/PS-II, Kantara, etc.”

H.E. Jawed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to France said, “We have got to be aggressive with creative and innovative marketing as in any other product of any other sector. There is already a great awareness and interests in Indian cinema globally. We need to translate awareness into acquisition. It will be a great service to the country to enhance its soft power.”

He wanted India’s presence in the market to be bigger in the coming year. 

Addressing the gathering at the inaugural session, Shri Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Managing Director, National Films Development Corporation said that 90 per cent of the business happens here in the market and he is glad that the unified India presence this year is going to help Indian delegates to do business meetings here at the market pavilion.

Following the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s strategy of presenting India as a one face at Cannes, CII is present in the Cannes Film Market as CII-India Market Pavilion facilitating business meetings of the Indian delegates with their foreign counterparts.

This is the 21st year of CII’s presence at the Cannes Film Festival.  Industry representatives like  Ravi Kottarakara, President, Film Federation of India and South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, C. Kalyan, noted film producer and other industry leaders participated in the inaugural session of the CII-India Market Pavilion.