Pickle Tiff Issue September 2022 by Pickle -- Indian M&E Biz

www.pickle.co.in SEPTEMBER l 2022 INDIA’S ONLY MEDIA BIZ MAGAZINE FOR THE WORLD PICKLE TIFF 2022 EDITION SOUMITRA RANADE, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Director Paperboat Animation Studios transforming Indian IPs (with help from Canada) OFPERSONALITYANIMATIONTHEYEAR

September 8–18 tiff.net/industry DISCOVER OUR #TIFF22 RISING STARS AARON PIERRE CARMEN MADONIA CHOI SEUNG-YOON GABRIEL LABELLE ISAIAH LEHTINEN JOSHUA ODJICK NATALIA ARANGUREN THUSO MBEDU TY SIMPKINS

A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL OUR READERS, ADVERTISERS AND WELL-WISHERS www.pickle.co.in Celebrating A Decade Of Pickle@Toronto

NAVALA PRODUCTIONS & CONTENT FLOW ANOSHOpresentINSIDER’SDOCUMENTARYontheworld’smostcontroversialmysticTHEMOVIE

AFM ®22 SANTA MONICA | NOV. 1-6 A MERICAN F ILM M ARKET . COM | B RINGING F ILM T O L IFE

We are delighted to present the 47th Toronto International Film Festival delegates, as well as sales and industry representatives, with the latest issue of Pickle. TIFF is unarguably the biggest festival and market in North America, which has become a talent discovery hub for India and, increasingly, now South Asia Torontotoo. is a great place to be in, especially for young Indian filmmakers who are changing the face of Indian cinema. Being discovered in Toronto allows them to pursue their cinematic techniques and excellence in a new direction. Toronto brings to the forefront excellence and the brightest minds in Indian cinema. This year, four Indian films will be screened at TIFF, including Kacchey Limbu by Shubham Yogi (Gala Presentations), Zwigato by Nandita Das (Contemporary World Cinema), Tora’s Husband by Rima Das (Platform) and What’s Love Got to Do with It? byShekharKapur (even though it is a British Film) (Gala TorontoPresentations).haschosen over 70 Indian films over the last two decades. Toronto seeks films that reflect an Indian sensibility in their creation. Unlike any other major film festival, the TIFF audience is concentrated in Toronto, which is home to over 600,000 people of Indian origin. There is always an audience eager to see Indian films. “The festival has helped many Indian independent filmmakers find a doorway to global acclaim... Toronto has proven to be a wonderful platform for Indian directors crafting films of a different timbre,” says film critic InSaibalChatterjee.thedifficultpost-Covid-19

era, we have focused the spotlight on India as a window of opportunity for the rest of the world. India’s animation, VFX, and gaming industries are gaining traction in the media and entertainment industries. In the audio visual segment, we focused on IndiaCanada collaboration and featured Soumitra Ranade, co-founder and Chief Creative Director of Paperboat Animation Studios, which is transforming Indian IPs (with help from Canada). During our recent conversation, industry leader and AVGC veteran Ashish Kulkarni was forthright in his observation. “I am especially proud of Prime Focus, Paperboat, Green Gold, Cosmos Maya, Toonz Media Group, and several others for establishing studios in other countries, including Canada. In a relatively short period of time, Indian AVGC- XR studios have recognised the potential of becoming multinational studios and leveraging the strengths of several creative content creation ecosystems to their advantage.”

FROM THE EDITOR

A Decade

A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL OUR READERS, ADVERTISERS

WELL WISHERS

www.pickle.co.in11 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world n vidyasagar pickle www.pickle.co.innat@pickle.co.in,media

With one billion mobile subscribers, over 600 million smartphone users, 720 million Internet subscribers, 850 TV channels, 1,800 films produced annually, 100,000 newspapers and periodicals, and over 50 OTT platforms, India’s thriving M&E industry offers both global and domestic corporations appealing growth opportunities. The government’s policies are aimed at maximising the potential of this expanding sector. Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions. AND www pickle co Celebrating Of Pickle@Toronto

Senior Editor : Vivek Ratnakar Editorial Coordinators : Maitreyi Vidyasagar, Shruti Sundaranand Design: Jose J Reegan, James, D Sharma Photo Editor : K K Laskar Admin & Edit Operations : B Rajalakshmi Email: natvid@gmail.com

Pickle Volume XVI 3th Edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com l Mumbai l Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

For advertising: natvid@gmail.com / pickle@pickle.co.in

TIFF INDUSTRY FOCUS 2022 Visionaries Inspirational keynotes with distinguished leaders who are forging new creative and business pathways in the industry.  VISIONARIES Efe Çakarel  VISIONARIES Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton  VISIONARIES S.S. Rajamouli  VISIONARIES Tyler Perry  VISIONARIES Inside the Brain of Werner Herzog  VISIONARIES What Laura Poitras Learned from Nan Goldin Dialogues Intimate conversations on craft between creators, including directors, actors, writers, and showrunners  DIALOGUES: Primetime  DIALOGUES Production & Development  DIALOGUES Co-Writers  DIALOGUES Platform Directors  DIALOGUES Covering Afghanistan for In Her Hands Perspectives Moderated and focused discussions on the current state and future of the industry in relation to the panellists’ areas of expertise.  PERSPECTIVES Comedy Creators  PERSPECTIVES The Future of Exhibition  PERSPECTIVES Narrative Sovereignty: From Slashers to Sci-Fi: Exploring The Significance of Indigenous Genre Films  PERSPECTIVES Truth, Lies, and a Million Dollar Board Game  PERSPECTIVES DocuMentality: The Growth of a Movement Microsessions Partner-curated discussions that showcase anything from new technologies to new and expanded opportunities for creators in the ways of doing business.  MICROSESSION Being Seen: Directives for Creating Authentic and Inclusive Content  MICROSESSION Powering Entertainment with TikTok  MICROSESSION Let’s Talk Future of Cinema Technology  MICROSESSION All Welcome: Increasing the Accessibility of Events in the Film Industry  MICROSESSION Spotlight on Clement Virgo’s Brother: From the Page to the Screen  MICROSESSION Underrepresented to Unstoppable: More Voices Need More Opportunities in Film  MICROSESSION Greening Your Mind: The Role of Agencies in Creating a More Eco-Responsible Industry

www.pickle.co.in13 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world SPOTLIGHT AT TIFF Talent, incentives, and pitches from around the globe

Do the Spanish ChangeCentsCo-ProductionCoproductionSpain–CanadaWay!ForumTheRenewaloftheCanada–FranceTreatyandSensibility:MakingMeaningfulintheWorldofFilmFinancingTheColombianFilmandTelevisionIndustry

FilmPARTNERTheFilmmakersIndigenousatTIFFBigPitchpresentedbyCaribbeanTalesMediaGroupUkrainianProducersSPOTLIGHTITALY!ASTRATEGICFILM-Italy’sLeadingIndustryExpertsShareInsights

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HindiIndia,DETAILS2022 109 minutes Director | Shubham Yogi Cast Radhika Madan, Rajat Barmecha, Ayush Mehra Cinematography Piyush Puty Editing | Mitesh Soni Producers Jyoti Deshpande, Neha Anand, Pranjal Khandhdiya Production Companies Jio Studios, Mango People Media Sound Abhishek Nair, Shijin Melvin Hutton International Sales Agent Jio Studios Screening Dates Sept 12, 14, 18 1 KACCHEY LIMBU SHUBHAM YOGIPRESENTATIONSGALA ATINDIATIFF2022

Propelled by high-energy music and a bevy of loveable characters, Kacchey Limbu is a vibrant story of teamwork and self-discovery. Whether it’s about playing an old sport in a new way, challenging sexist traditions, or changing your mind about what you want to be, this is a film about embracing possibility — and playing not to win, but for the pure pleasure of the game. (More in www.tiff.net)

Set in Mumbai, director Shubham Yogi’s feature debut follows a pair of siblings who find themselves on competing cricket teams as they struggle to balance familial loyalty with the pursuit of their passions. Set in the courtyards and improvised pitches of Mumbai, the story follows a pair of siblings who find themselves on competing cricket teams as they struggle to balance familial loyalty with the pursuit of their passions. Aditi (Madan) dreams about being a fashion designer, though her father insists she study medicine. Her big brother Akash drags himself to corporate job interviews though his first and only love is cricket. When he is accepted into a new league, Aditi decides to throw her hat in the ring and start her own team, assembling a motley crew of players who might not look like cricket stars but just may have what it takes.

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Buoyed by an ensemble including Lily James, Shazad Latif, and Emma Thompson, Shekhar Kapur’s smart, effervescent romantic comedy follows a filmmaker who decides to document her best friend’s journey toward arranged marriage. Zoe (James) is a filmmaker and Kazim (Latif) a doctor. They grew up next door to each other, though their worlds couldn’t be farther apart. While Zoe was raised by her English divorcé mother, Cath (Thompson), to be independent and inquisitive, Kaz’s Pakistan-born parents were happy to participate in secular British society while ensuring their kids conduct themselves according to the family’s Muslim faith. Having already witnessed his parents’ anguish when his sister married a white Briton, Kaz has opted to follow his parents’ example and seek an arranged Kaz’smarriage.decision perplexes Zoe — and provides her with a brilliant premise for her next documentary. She sets out, camera in hand, to follow her old friend on every step of his journey toward family-vetted coupledom, trying to comprehend the enduring allure of arranged marriage while re-examining her own pattern of disastrous liaisons. (More in www.tiff.net)

DETAILS United Kingdom, 2022 English, Urdu 108 minutes Director | Shekhar Kapur Cast Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Emma Thompson, Sajal Aly, Asim Chaudhry, Jeff Mirza Cinematography Remi Adefarasin BSC Editing | Guy Bensley, Nick Moore Producers Nicky Kentish Barnes, Jemima Khan, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner Production Companies STUDIOCANAL, Working Title Films, Instinct Productions Screenplay Jemima Khan International Sales Agent STUDIOCANAL Screening Dates Sept 11,13,18 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT SHEKHAR KAPUR PRESENTATIONSGALAATINDIATIFF2022

In the latest drama from Indian director Rima Das (Village Rockstars), a loving father strains to keep his small-town business afloat while his relationships deteriorate amidst personal loss and lockdowns during the pandemic. Amid economic strife caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaan (Abhijit Das) desperately tries to keep his small business — a modest restaurant and hotel — afloat as his town in Assam emerges from mandated lockdown. With the chance of recovery looking bleak, Jaan begins to alienate himself from his friends and family, including his wife Tora (Tarali Kalita Das), whose patience is wearing thin.

Determined to do right by his employees and to provide for his family, Jaan turns to alcohol to cope with the pressure of his responsibilities. As he becomes increasingly stressed and aggressive, his personal relationships become more and more strained, and Tora must decide whether she can stand by her neglectful husband. Meanwhile, COVID refuses to let up and continues to threaten the lives of those around them.

Tora’s Husband is a perceptive drama that captures how tensions can erode lives and relationships during difficult times when everyone is struggling to (Moresurvive.in:www.tiff.net)

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DETAILSIndia,2022Assamese WORLD PREMIERE 140 minutes Director | Rima Das Cast Abhijit Das, Tarali Kalita Das, Bhuman Bhargav Das, Purbanchali Das, Simanta Malakar, Nilima Das Cinematography Rima Das Producer | Rima Das Production Company Flying River Films Sound Bigyna Dahal, Rahul Rabha, Dhrubaraj Boro, Harshajit Goyary Original Score Sagar Desai Screening Dates Sept 10,12,14,15,17 TORA’S HUSBAND RIMA DAS PLARFORM ATINDIATIFF2022

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India,DETAILS2022 | Hindi 105 minutes Director | Nandita Das Cast Kapil Sharma, Shahana Goswami Cinematography | Ranjan Palit Editing | Jabeen Merchant Executive Producer Sudhir Sherigar Producers | Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal, Nandita Das Production Companies Applause Entertainment, Nandita Das Initiatives LLP Production Designer | Rita Ghosh Screenplay | Nandita Das, Samir Patil Sound | Manas Choudhury International Sales Agent Applause Entertainment Screening Dates Sept 09, 14, 15, 17 4 ZWIGATO NANDITA DAS CINEMAWORLDCONTEMPORARYATINDIATIFF2022

Director Nandita Das (Manto) trains her sharp sociopolitical gaze on the gig economy, with this story about the trials and tribulations of a food-app delivery driver (played by Indian comedian Kapil Sharma). After losing his job as a factory-floor manager during the pandemic, Manas (Kapil Sharma) becomes a driver for a food-delivery app called Zwigato. With a familiar rectangular backpack, he zips around Bhubaneswar on his motorcycle, steering through another day of inconvenient obstacles and impatient customers. To help make ends meet, his wife Pratima (Shahana Goswami) applies for a job as cleaning staff at a mall, brushing off the potential hassles of work life for an independent experience outside the home. Manas isn’t pleased, but it isn’t long before the strain of his daily grind begins to take a toll and he’s forced to confront his old fashioned ideas about being the breadwinner. Best known in India as a comedian, Sharma shares a new side as Manas, with a grounded performance that finds the droll humour in his stress, constantly flung around the city by the app and its algorithm. Zwigato is director Nandita’ third feature after Firaaq (TIFF ’08) and Manto (TIFF ’18). With a storied acting career, having worked with filmmakers like Deepa Mehta, Mrinal Sen, and Shyam Benegal. (More in : www.tiff.net)

INDIA OPPORTUNITYUNLEASHING

Given the enormous opportunity to unleash the potential of the M&E industry, the Government of India recently announced an incentive scheme for audio-visual co-production and foreign film shooting in India

ADVANTAGE INDIA

• In case of foreign films shootings in India, an additional 5% bonus upto a maximum of INR 50 lakhs (USD 65,000) as additional reimbursement would be granted for employing 15% or more manpower in India.

Incentives of the schemes can be claimed under either of the Schemes and not for both.

• For all qualifying projects, the international film production company can claim a payable cash incentive of upto 30% on Qualifying Expenditure in India subject to a maximum of INR 2 crore (USD 260,000).

The Government of India has identified the audio visual services as a champion sector and looking at the immense opportunity it offers to unleash the potential of the M&E Industry, the Government of India recently announced an incentive scheme for audio-visual coproduction and shooting of foreign films in India. India has Audio Visual Coproduction treaties with 15 countries, including Canada, and therefore, global collaborations with India will get an impetus to this sector. It will also attract investment from foreign film makers and help to promote India as a filming destination.

To be eligible for the scheme the filmmakers need to ensure that the project must have been granted the “Co-Production” status by the Ministry of I&B and the participating country must fall under one of India’s official

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The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry has emerged as a globally recognised market with a revenue of around $30 billion. With over 900 million internet subscribers, 600 million smartphone users, 500 million active social media users, 900 TV channels, 510 million gamers, and 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, M&E in India offers to boost economic growth and job creation exponentially.

The Incentive Scheme will be executed through Film Facilitation Office (FFO) under the aegis of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Some of the salient features of the scheme are:

Particularly when it comes to Animation, Visual Effects and Gaming sectors, where the dependence on skilled and semiskilled jobs are plenty, it is prudent that the companies should adapt to the outsourcing model to remain relevant in their respective sectors.

Over the last few years, several international filmmakers have shown interest in India as a filming destination owing to its world-class film studios and diversified locations depicting cultural vibrancy,heritage, aesthetic appeal, etc.

Audiovisual exports in the next five to 10 years will be amongst the top 5 sectors contributing to India’s GDP.

After Hollywood, Indian cinema has the highest reach (in terms of distribution for films) and India’s strength lies in emotional content -telling human stories with universal appeal, irrespective of the language Contentbarrier. produced for Indian media sectors holds tremendous potential for global consumption. With a significant diaspora population residing overseas, Indian content is a key tool for these communities to connect with their cultural roots.

bi-lateral co-production treaties on Audio-Visual Co-production. Projects that have been granted official Coproduction Status after May 1, 2022 are eligible for the incentive. International productions that have been granted shooting permission by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of External Affairs (for documentaries only) after May 1, 2022 are also eligible for the incentive. As far as the disbursement mechanism is concerned, the Incentives will be disbursed in two stage—Interim and Final. The Final disbursement claim can be made only once the project is complete in India, as per the guidelines under the scheme. Incentives are provided on the recommendation of a Special Incentive Evaluation Committee. With a burgeoning middle class of tech-savvy buyers as well as thriving innovation industries, the Indian M&E industry is going through a huge transformation, exponential growth and presents an opportunity to excel in almost every M&E vertical including Films,TV, Print, Digital Advertising, Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics, OOH, Radio and TheMusic.movie industry in India is big business and box office revenues are growing steadily. The best opportunities for multinational businesses, however, are more likely found in joint “Bollywood”production projects, rather than in licensing or exporting movies. Electronic home video is expanding rapidly, especially streaming content for a monthly flat Therate.

India is rapidly becoming the premier “digital engine room” for the world. With new M&E policy on the anvil and the creation of an AVGC Promotion Task Force that was constituted following the announcement made in theUnion Budget 2022 earlier this year to boost growth of the sector, the service sector for animation VFX and games can double its export growth.The horizon use cases of AVGC - XR verticals have expanded beyond its day to day defined utility in Architecture, Life Science, Legal, Education, Industrial, Urban Planning, Sports, Digital universe, Metaverseetc apart from media & Currently,entertainment.India is ranked fourth in the global audio visual exports in the world. India’s total exports account for $300 billion. More than 70 per cent of the AVGC revenues comes from AVGC services to the global markets. The AVGC sector in India is poised to drive a similar growth to what the IT industry saw 20 years ago.

all-inclusive, unlimited subscription model is gaining in popularity as digital entertainment expands in India just like in many developing economies. Live music and digital music streaming are proliferating in India. Video games, including PC, app-based, digital, and online consoles are also growing Therapidly.Indian content on screen reaches over 90 countries in all major OTT platforms, including Netflix,Prime Video, iTunes, YouTube. This is just the tip of the iceberg and is set to increase in the coming years.

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www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world20 As part of the government’s ease of doing business initiative, the Film Facilitation Office acts as a single point of contact for obtaining filming permissions. It assists the filmmaker on their journey from script to screen EASING FILMING IN INDIA

www.pickle.co.in21 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world screen. In the post-Covid era, using FFO’s online ecosystem www.ffo.gov. in for filming has gained traction. During the pandemic, permission was granted for up to 18 international projects. As the government has become an important stakeholder in the Indian film ecosystem, the establishment of FFO in 2016 has ensured that permissions and other support services in India have become much faster and streamlined. FFO has assisted approximately 127 foreign film production companies in shooting in FilmmakersIndia.can apply for permits for location recce, shooting in monuments under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India and locations under the Ministry of Railways at ease through the FFO.In order to facilitate filming, as well as to set up a system that will allow the FFO to address complaints about filming and track the receipt of incentives on behalf of filmmakers, NFDC, through the FFO, is constantly interacting with various Central Government Ministries/Departments and the State Governments. To receive and process all applications from both domestic and foreign manufacturers, FFO has set up an online system. Along with connecting its system with numerous states and central ministries to speed up clearances, FFO has also established its own network of nodal officers within various state administrations. India has scenic locations, incredible cultural diversity, trained film crews, and low production costs, all of which are complemented by filmfriendly policies. Because of these advantages, many foreign studios are increasingly entering into agreements with Indian producers to co-produce films and television series. Under the automatic route, India also allows up to 100 percent FDI in film and television productions. The Film Facilitation Office (FFO) serves as a single point of contact for obtaining filming permissions as part of the government’s ease of doing business initiative. The FFO serves as a collaborator on the filmmaker’s journey from script to

www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world22 Madhya Pradesh was named the state with the best film-friendly environment in 2020 at the 68th National Film Awards. It previously received the award in 2017 MADHYA PRADESH A FILMMAKER’S DREAM DESTINATION

In terms of favourable film policies adopted by states, Madhya Pradesh has recently established a dedicated film facilitation cell to act as a nodal agency that would ease out shooting permissions through a single window clearance system. The state provides incentives to all types of productions, whether they are films, documentaries, webseries, or OTT platforms. Then there are provisions for special incentives if the state is promoted in terms of tourism. At the recently announced 68th National Film Awards, Madhya Pradesh won the prize for the state with the best film-friendly environment in 2020. Madhya Pradesh previously got the honour in 2017. The “heart of India,” Madhya Pradesh, offers a vast array of settings, doing away with the need for a set designer. The state offers numerous and varied options for filming, ranging from renowned forts to the verdant hills of Pachmarhi and the marble cliffs of Bhedaghat. UNESCO has designated the temples of Khajuraho as a world heritage site. Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, has been the backdrop of several feature films ranging from B.R. Chopra’s wellknown social thriller NayaDaur to

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PrakashJha’s political drama Rajniti, Anusha Rizvi Peepli Live, to the social drama Aarakshan starring Amitabh TheBacchan.state has made significant efforts to facilitate filming in the state by developing a well-structured website, film-friendly infrastructure, offering incentives, maintaining databases, and launching marketing and promotional campaigns.

The appointment of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) as the nodal agency for film shooting clearance, incentives, and subsidies in the state is one of the state’s initiatives to simplify film production. The tourism department also works with other departments to obtain the necessary legal permits for producers. MPSTDC provides discounts at state-owned hotels as well as free shooting at select locations. The state also provides capital investment subsidies ranging from Rs 3-5 crores for the construction of infrastructure as well as the installation of equipment to establish film studios, film production, museums, aquariums, and theme parks.

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www.pickle.co.in25 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world FilmInternational2022Toronto TIFF WATCH LIST USA, Cast127GALAEnglish2022PRESENTATIONminutes Joshua Boone, Amirah Vann, Solea Pfieffer Producer Tyler NetflixCanadianPerryDistributor SCREENING DATES SEP 12 & 13 “Tyler Perry’s latest — though the screenplay is the first one he ever wrote — stars Joshua Boone, Solea Pfeiffer, Amirah Vann, Aus tin Scott, and Ryan Eggold in a story of forbidden love and family secrets that reaches from the 1940s to the 1980s.” A JAZZMAN’S BLUES South Korea, 2022 SPECIALKorean PRESENTATION 103 Castminutes Jung Woo-sung, Kim Nam-gil, Park Sung-woong, Kim Junhan, Lee Elijah, Park You-na Producers Song Dae-chan International Sales Agent Acemaker Movieworks SCREENING DATE SEP 10, 14, 15 & 18 “The directorial debut of Korean superstar Jung Woosung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) has everything you crave in a modern thrill er: hi-octane action sequenc es, memorable characters, and Jung himself in the leading role.” A MAN OF REASON BY JUNG WOO-SUNG BY TYLER PERRY

www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world26 TIFF WATCH LIST Canada, USA, 2022 Cast89GALAEnglishPRESENTATIONminutes Anna Kendrick, Kaniethiio Horn, Wunmi Mosaku, Charlie Carrick Producers Lindsay Tapscott, Katie Bird Nolan, Christina Piovesan, Noah Segal Canadian Distributor Elevation Pictures “Anna Kendrick captures the anxious psychology of a woman in an abusive relationship as her friends try to reconnect with her while on a cottage getaway.” ALICE, DARLING USA, Germany, 2022 Cast147GALAGermanPRESENTATIONminutes Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus, Edin Hasanovic Producers Malte Grunert, Daniel Dreifuss, Edward Berger Production Companies Netflix, Amusement Park Film“ThisGmbHimpassioned, visually arresting interpretation of the classic German anti-war novel makes the pacifist case to contemporary audiences through its depiction of the horrible madness of World War I and the tragedy of a doomed generation.” ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT BY EDWARD BERGER BY MARY NIGHY

www.pickle.co.in27 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world TIFF WATCH LIST USA, Cast105GALAEnglish2022PRESENTATIONSminutes Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Rachel Keller Producers Gabe Polsky, Molly Conners, Amanda Bowers, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson International Sales Agent Altitude Film Sales SCREENING DATES SEP 10 14 & 18 “Set in the 1870s, Gabe Polsky’s adaptation of John Williams’ literary western stars Nicolas Cage as a buffalo hunter who lures a naïve young man into an ambitious expedition in the Colorado Rockies.” BUTCHER’S CROSSING United Kingdom, USA, 2022 GALA Cast104EnglishPRESENTATIONSminutes Sir Ben Kingsley, Barbara Sukowa Producers Edward Pressman, David O. Sacks, Daniel Brunt, Chris Curling, Sam Pressman International Sales Agent Bankside Films SCREENING DATES SEP 14, 15 & 17 “Boasting dazzling perfor mances from Ben Kingsley and Barbara Sukowa, the lat est from director Mary Harron (American Psycho) pulls back the curtain on the larger-thanlife union of Spanish painter Salvador Dalí and his wife Gala.” DALÍLAND BY MARY HARRON BY GABE POLSKY

www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world28 TIFF WATCH LIST United Kingdom, USA, 2022 SPECIAL PRESENTATION Cast119Englishminutes Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, Colin Firth Producers Pippa Harris, Sam Mendes International Sales Agent ICM Partners SCREENING DATES SEP 12,13,14 & 18 “Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward star in this poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema, directed by Sam Mendes and captured by cinematographer Roger Deakins.” EMPIRE OF LIGHT USA, Cast85English2022minutes Jane Fonda, Malcolm McDowell Producers Andrew Miano, Paul Weitz, Stephanie Meurer, Chris Parker, Dylan Sellers International Sales Agent United Talent Agency (UTA) SCREENING DATES SEP 09 & 14 “Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star in this fusion of audacious comedy and bracing drama about estranged pals who are reunited when a beloved mutual friend dies, leaving her widower the target of a revenge plan.” MOVING ON BY PAUL WEITZ BY SAM MENDES

www.pickle.co.in29 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world TIFF WATCH LIST Iran, 2022 | Farsi, Azeri, Turkish | 107 minutes Cast | Jafar Panahi, Naser Hashemi, Vahid Mobaseri, Bakhtiar Panjei, Mina Kavani, Reza Heydari Producers | Jafar Panahi International Sales Agent | Celluloid Dreams SCREENING DATES | SEP 10, 15 & 17 USA, 2022 | English | 106 minutes Cast | Ethan Hawke, Ewan McGregor, Maribel Verdú, Tom Bower, Vondie Curtis Hall, Sophie Okonedo Producers | Alfonso Cuarón, Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn USA, 2022 | English | 98 minutes Cast | Kate Beckinsale, Brian Cox Producers | Sam Okun, Marina Grasic, David Haring International Sales Agent | Capstone Global SCREENING DATES | SEP 09, 15 & 16 “Jafar Panahi continues to push against the boundaries of the medium with his latest film, involving two parallel love stories and the dire consequences that can bubble up out of seemingly insignificant artistic pursuits.” “An intricate drama shot through with audacious gallows humour, the latest from writer-director Rodrigo García stars Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke as long-estranged half-brothers who reunite to bury their father.” “Granted a compassionate release, a dying convict (Brian Cox) tries to reconnect with his daughter (Kate Beckinsale) and the grandson he’s never known — but his violent past comes back to haunt them all, in this drama from Thirteen and Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke.” NO BEARS BY JAFAR BYRAYMONDPANAHI&RAYRODRIGOGARCÍAPRISONER’S DAUGHTER BY CATHERINE HARDWICKE

www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world30 TIFF WATCH LIST United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Cast114English2022minutes Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan Producers Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh SCREENING DATES SEPT 13, 16 & 18 “In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reteam for this fable about two lifelong friends who reach an impasse, with alarming consequences for both. The latest from OutsideMcDonaghwriter-directorOscar-winningMartin(ThreeBillboardsEbbing,Missouri).” THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN USA, Cast126English2022minutes Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Bill Murray Producers David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Andrew Muscato, Jake Myers SCREENING DATES SEPT 14,15,16 “Zac Efron and Russell Crowe star in Peter Farrelly’s follow-up to Green Book, about a merchant seaman who, in 1967, accepted a bet to personally deliver a case of beer from New York to his army buddies in Vietnam.” THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER BY PETER FARRELLY BY MARTIN MCDONAGH

www.pickle.co.in31 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world TIFF WATCH LIST United Kingdom, 2022 | English, Arabic | 134 minutes Cast | Manal Issa, Nathalie Issa, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Kinda Alloush Producers | Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Tim Cole, Ali Jaafar International Sales Agent | Netflix SCREENING DATES | SEP 09 United Kingdom, 2022 | English, Urdu | 108 minutes Cast | Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Producers | Nicky Kentish Barnes, Jemima Khan, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner International Sales Agent | STUDIOCANAL SCREENING DATES | SEP 11, 13, 18 South Korea, 2022 | Korean | 97 minutes Cast | Kwon Haehyo, Lee Hyeyoung, Song Sunmi Producer | Hong Sangsoo International Sales Agents | FINECUT Co., Ltd. SCREENING DATES | SEP 16, 17, 18 & 19 “This soaring epic dramatizes the true story of two sisters who left their home in war-torn Syria for a new life in Europe — and the chance to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics.” “Buoyed by an ensemble including Lily James, Shazad Latif, and Emma Thompson, Shekhar Kapur’s smart, effervescent romantic comedy follows a filmmaker who decides to document her best friend’s journey toward arranged marriage.” “Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo adds a new chapter to his impressive body of work, taking a gently delightful new perspective on themes dear to his poetics.” THE SWIMMERS BY SALLY EL HOSAINI WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT BY SHEKHAR KAPUR WALK UP BY HONG SANGSOO

cutting-edge

ANIMATION PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR SAIL UP!

Chief Creative Director Paperboat Animation Studios

Chief Creative

Paperboat Animation Studios is breaking new ground in the entire animation spectrum to create IPs and bringing India’s rich heritage of images, sounds, music, textures, colours, and stories to the world, says Soumitra Ranade, Co-Founder and Director , Paperboat, in a chat with Pickle Soumitra Ranade, Co-Founder and

Oh, so many things! For starters, many of our ideas that had been gathering dust in folders on our laptops suddenly came to life. Just two examples are Kabuliwala and Itch, as also, UtSide, our recently launched online animation/VFX school. And it’s not just about the money; it’s about structure, having an international vision, and having someone with whom to brainstorm on an intellectual and creative level. For many years, I believed that in order to have an international presence, we needed to be in Canada. This was made possible by VMC, and we were able to open our studio in Toronto.

Paperboat Animation Studios and Vistas Media Capital Team (Piiyush Singh and Abhayannd Singh)

I SEE MANY PARALLELS BETWEEN INDIA AND CANADA. BOTH, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE MULTICULTURAL IN NATURE. BOTH CELEBRATE THEIR DIFFERENCES AND ARE INCLUSIVE AT HEART

How is it to be in Canada, where Paperboat is establishing its facilities-in the centre of the most vibrant region in the world for virtual production, animation, and digital arts?

You have got a new investor, films and web series are taking off... What does Vistas Media Capital bring to the table for Paperboat?

Canada has been a fantastic learning experience. Things are much more organised here than in India. The animation/visual effects industry is recognised as an important contributor to nation building. For the first three years, our mandate is clear. In Toronto, we are more of an IP lab. We are working on projects for both the North American and international markets. We don’t want to lose the cost advantage that our studio in India has, so we’re not looking to build a large team here right now.

Can we see this Paperboat approach as a first transformation step for Indian creative entertainment business powerhouses looking to expand their global footprint... you’ll be in London soon as well... Yes. That could be correct. We’ve been travelling around the world with our work for the last 6-7 years, and the response has encouraged us to push ourselves further. We intend to complete the task at hand. We don’t want to be known as an Indian studio that does things cheaply, but as a studio that makes significant contributions to the world of animation. We’re creating a web series in London because it’s more convenient logistically. We are currently working on a feature film in Hollywood. We created, wrote, designed, and directed all of these projects.

We are focused on developing our intellectual property, which requires a great team. We have built a team of about 350 people in India over the last 12 years. That is a significant advantage because the team is extremely talented and dedicated. We’ve won the award for best Indian animation studio for the past two years, which speaks volumes about our Everythingteam. we’ve learned over the last 12 years will be useful as we focus on our intellectual property. We are also concentrating on our VFX vertical, Occult,which is doing some really exciting work, and we want to expand on it. With UtSide, our interest in animation education continues, and the first batch of students will be enrolled very soon. So it’s not just animation projects in terms of films and series; we’re interested in the entire animation spectrum. Canada has signed the most number of Co-Production Treaties in the world. I see many parallels between India and Canada. Both, for the most part, are multicultural in nature. Both celebrate their differences and are inclusive at heart. It is hardly surprising that Canada has the most Co-Production Treaties in the world. It is that kind of country, and we are looking forward to working with Canada on many exciting projects.

What are Paperboat’s current focus areas?

TO US, SCALING UP PRIMARILY MEANS INCREASING THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK, AS WELL AS EXPANDING OUR VISION FROM BEING AN INDIAN ANIMATION STUDIO TO ONE THAT CREATES CUTTINGEDGE IPS THAT TOUCH HEARTS ALL OVER THE WORLD

Roger Christian at Paperboat with Team

How do you plan to scale up Paperboat studios?

Not just Bombay Rose, but theseotherandapproaches:withtheBecausedeliverWeandLowfilmawardsbudgetshaveLeGoopiGawaiyaaGhodeKoJalebiKhilanealsoJaRiyaHoonandBaghaBajaiyaaallbeencompletedonshoestringandhavereceivednumerousinatleast20-25internationalfestivals.budgetsarearealityinIndia,itispointlesstodwellonthem.needtofindwaysandsolutionstowithintheconstraintswehave.weareallcreativepeopleathelmofPaperboat,wecancomeupcreativesolutions.Therearetwooneisahighlyintelligentdetailedproductionplan,andtheisJugaad!Thecombinationoftwoworksbestforus.

Bombay Rose (available on Netflix) stands out in its creation at an unbelievable cost. How are you making it happen?

We’ve never really believed in numbers. We started with three in 2011, and now have 350, but that is purely technical. After a few years, we’ll be 500-600, and so on. To us, scaling up primarily means increasing the quality of our work, as well as expanding our vision from being an Indian animation studio to one that creates cutting-edge IPs that touch hearts all over the world. There is only one way to scale up the way we want to: by consistently doing good work and coming up with unique and ground-breaking ideas. What are the current plans you have for Paperboat’s journey in the near future? We’ve divided ourselves into three sections: today, tomorrow, and the day after. Today, we do a lot of servicing work because it generates revenue while also allowing us to build, expand, and establish our team. Our IPs will be ready for release tomorrow, and the day after that, we will enter new mediums such as the metaverse. This is a very dynamic process, and while work has begun on all three fronts, the roll out is progressive. Do you see an acceleration happening in the animation, VFX, gaming, and metverse industries in the future? (Tattva 118). You’ve been an advocate for digital art and 2D animation... What are your thoughts on the metaverse universe? NFTs and the metaverse are an extremely exciting area. I’m particularly interested because I come from a filmmaking family. What is Tarkovsky’s ‘Stalker’ if not a metaverse example? Of course, technology has advanced, but the spirit of the metaverse has been hovering over us for centuries, dating back to the Ajanta caves.

The Metaverse calls into question the very foundations of how we have traditionally’seen’ things. It invents a new idiom. It is possibly the most extraordinary fusion of art and technology, which is why we are interested in it. However, it is part of Paperboat’s three-year strategy. While work has begun on it, it will not be available until much later. I personally have no time for technology, and I can say this with confidence because I work with IS ONLY ONE WAY TO SCALE UP THE WAY WE WANT TO: BY CONSISTENTLY DOING GOOD WORK AND COMING UP WITH UNIQUE AND GROUNDBREAKING IDEAS

THERE

WHAT IS TARKOVSKY’S ‘STALKER’ IF NOT A METAVERSE EXAMPLE? OF COURSE, TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED, BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE METAVERSE HAS BEEN HOVERING OVER US FOR CENTURIES, DATING BACK TO THE AJANTA CAVES

Soumitra Ranade in his Tattva TShirt

people like Aashish Mall and Mayank Patel (at Paperboat), as well as Sachin Shardul and PrashantShahane (at occult). All of these guys are at the pinnacle of their profession. They are up to date and work with cuttingedge technology. So, at Paperboat, we have a clear relationship with technology. While I consider the stories we can tell, my colleagues consider how we can best tell them. Both are incomplete without the other. What opportunities do you see in Animation, VFX, Gaming, and Comics in India? And also Challenges. Unfortunately, the industry has not changed much. Of course, some experts will tell you how much the industry has grown, and all of that may be true, but that is primarily the case in the servicing industry. As far as I can tell, not much has changed. In India, there is still no serious funding for animation. How many animation students go on to make animated films? There are almost none! Why? These questions must be addressed. Furthermore, there is still a scarcity of talent. That situation hasn’t changed either. Big international studios open sweatshops in India, paying exorbitant wages (which are peanuts in American terms) to attract the best talent. This leaves a significant gap for Indian projects with Indian Thebudgets.issue is that animation/VFX is not a national priority in India. We are still working to improve roads, hospitals, and universities, which are unquestionably more important than animation. Animation is low on the priority list, and it shows on the studio floors. Just this year, the AVGC industry was mentioned in the national budget. So, let us see where that leads us.

THE ISSUE IS THAT ANIMATION/VFX IS NOT A NATIONAL PRIORITY IN INDIA. WE ARE STILL WORKING TO IMPROVE ROADS, HOSPITALS, AND UNIVERSITIES, WHICH ARE THANMOREUNQUESTIONABLYIMPORTANTANIMATION A

own.somethingtheKolkata.haveandthetravelledintomustaWeapprovaltorestored.theretakeveryThedirectorsanimators/designers/writers/KashmiritotellKashmiristories.governmenthasalsobeensupportive,butIbelieveitwillsometimebeforethesituationsettlesdownandnormalcyisWewilltakethenextflightSrinagarassoonaswereceivefromthegovernment.arealsointerestedinestablishingsimilarmodelinArunachal.Weintegratetheseoutlyingregionsthenationalmainstream.I’veextensivelythereandfoundyouthtobeextremelytalentedhardworking.It’sashametheytotraveltoMumbai,Delhi,orIbelieveweshouldmakeefforttogotothemandcreatetheycanclaimastheir

CANADA HAS BEEN

FANTASTIC NATIONCONTRIBUTORASISEFFECTSANIMATION/VISUALTHANORGANISEDAREEXPERIENCE.LEARNINGTHINGSMUCHMOREHEREININDIA.THEINDUSTRYRECOGNISEDANIMPORTANTTOBUILDING

The Government of India has identified AVGC as a champion sector, and a National AVGC policy is in the works. What should its long-term goals be? The truth is that we haven’t even been able to export Mahabharat, one of the world’s most extraordinary stories. We haven’t done it because there isn’t enough support. This is truly tragic. Our long-term goal must be to transition from a service industry to an IP creation industry. The world will not take us seriously until we do this, and we will remain the sweatshop that we are today. We must have faith in our stories and demonstrate the ability to contextualise them in a changing world. We need to aim for a global Iaudience.sincerely believe that India is best positioned to generate international intellectual property. We are a creative nation with a rich heritage of images, sounds, music, textures, colours, and stories. We are a computer-literate nation that is also English-friendly.

You expressed an interest in establishing a training facility and a studio in Jammu and Kashmir. As a teenager, I lived in Kabul and witnessed the deterioration of a once-peaceful community into what it is today. We simply cannot allow Kashmir to deteriorate in this manner. I firmly believe that art has the power to heal many wounds. I am still very interested in beginning training at a studio in Srinagar. We want

animation

www.pickle.co.inIndia’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world40 ASHISH KULKARNI, FOUNDER& CEO, PUNNARYUG ARTVISION AND SCREENYUG CREATIONS CHAIRMAN, FICCI AVGC FORUM Canada and India are well known for their multicultural content economies, and they together hold an unique position as partners in storytelling

www.pickle.co.in41 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world A

CANADAINDIAWINWIN-FOR&

India and Canada enjoy a unique position as storytelling partners. Canada and India are well known for their multicultural content economies. While Canada has a widely recognised distribution network – India has a cost-effective production ability delivering highest quality content. The dissemination of Canadian content would be greatly impacted by an Indian partnership. This is a win-win for both sides, says Ashish Kulkarni, Founder& CEO, Punnaryug Artvision and Screenyug Creations, in a candid conversation with Pickle

In the audio-visual segments, how do you see the IndiaCanada relationship evolving? The relationship between India and Canada has evolved significantly. The India-Canada Co-production Treaty is a fantastic tool that benefits producers in both countries. India is known for its creative output, whereas Canada specialises in pre production, post production and distribution. As Canada’s service sector has grown exponentially, many American companies are relocating to Toronto, Vancouver, and CanadaMontreal.andIndia can collaborate to produce global content. We actually found a new paradigm in terms of co-production between India and Canada. This year, we have a large delegation from India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and industry at large visiting Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), primarily to look at the mechanism of implementing the co-production treaty into producing films and animation films. In fact, the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has been collaborating closely with Canada to develop a mechanism for implementation,so that there is a studio-to-studio connection and we greenlight certain films for coproduction in India and Canada. We can also see that there is a significant amount of student as well as faculty exchange between the two countries. Although the treaty was signed in 2015, we will be able to see implementation and actual major live projects starting this year. So, as we introduce a new co-production structure in India, I see NFDC playing a critical role

Second,collaborated.weshould make it a habit to invite Canadian producers to at least one or two events each year. This is especially true at the India International Film Festival of India (IFFI) because that’s where b2b sessions could become a breeding ground. In fact, Canada was a partner country a few years ago, and it brought quite a few interesting things with it. However, I believe we need to do this as a growing effort across Canada, with delegations coming from Vancouver, Toronto, and Quebec in particular, among other places. And, with the emergence of experiential storytelling through XR, I believe there are certain projects that can become a reality in terms of co-productions between the two countries. I see that even animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics & XR as a great opportunity to really partner with Canada.

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KULKARNIASHISH

What steps should be taken to scale the relationship? How should we proceed, and what should be the next steps? India sends delegations to TIFF because Indian films are shown there. However, I believe that we should not stop there. We should make an effort to establish, say, a creators and producers matching programme. So that we can exchange ideas and see if we can find a way to work together because co-productions would never be able to find a way unless studios

ASHISH KULKARNI, FOUNDER& CREATIONSANDPUNNARYUGCEO,ARTVISIONSCREENYUG

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Canada is a virtual production powerhouse. Toronto is home to the world’s largest virtual production sets. What are the opportunities in this field for India?

The Vancouver Film School has already established a presence in Mumbai. And there are quite a few other schools that have expressed an interest in opening up in India. Student exchange and faculty exchange has already been a practice between India and Canada. In Canada, the media and entertainment education as well as the AVGC-XR education is par excellence. They have been actually building these areas for several years now, and a large number of students from all over the globe have benefited from this. Nevertheless, for Indian students with interests in Film and media studies, AVGCXR has been the top destination in Canada for the last two decades. I believe that the best practices can always be brought into India. Such partnerships would bring in technology transfer, curriculum transfer, train the trainers, and the exchange would aid in actually getting the most critical element, which is the faculty. And if you can get the right faculty to come to India, you will see a lot of people developing the required skills that are implemented, and this skilled community will then start experimenting and working on live projects in India, which will add to the creative content creation ecosystem. Recently, India announced 30% incentives for foreign filmmakers. How can India benefit from Canada’s 75 co-production treaties with other countries?

The need for the number of virtual productions for Indian films is also growing. While we would like to see virtual sets develop in India, Canadian studios have already done it by collaborating with universities so that industry-academy partnerships actually evolve new technologies, new patterns of working, and additional production ecosystems. I see a larger number of Indian storytelling also requiring those kinds of visual production capabilities, and until the time, we actually build the skills and sustain them in this part of the world, collaboration with Canada would be extremely beneficial.It’s not just about sharing technology or working with the latest & evolving technologies; it’s also about cost effectiveness and ensuring that some of the heritage films and historical films can be produced more efficiently – Where we see every frame of the film is enhanced. I believe those outcomes will be something to which we should all be looking forward to. Following the implementation of the new education policy, animation, visual effects, and gaming will be included in the curriculum in India. How do we bring in, say, a gaming expert from Toronto to teach students here?

The incentive plan that has been announced to shoot in India is a long awaited and a very positive step by the government of India. It’s a welcome step to invite creative content creators from all over the globe to come to India.I see a bigger success through collaboration with Indian studios. Unless and until there are producers and creators from India meeting the producers and creators of Canada, the co-production cannot start. The government will talk to another government to do co-production projects.But firstly,an idea must be realised through collaboration between the two studios. And when a common business plan for that project is developed, they let each other know what each side would bring to the table. That is ideally what occurs when a successful coproduction takes place. Before signing a co-production, you must either sign a broadcaster in the case of a television show or have a

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I believe that if we can continue to build a special section for Indian producers to come, the Indian producers will have to block their calendars every year to ensure that they are a part of the TIFF programme. And we should actually encourage both the countries to ensure that we hold b2b producerto-producer meetings at least twice a year, once in TIFF and once in IFFI so that those relationships can then mature into successful productions, projects, and so on.Third, I believe we should consider how to leverage the global distribution ecosystem of Canada For Indian content. Because of the Indian diaspora, there are a lot of Indian stories that would work extremely well in Canada and North America. Could you comment on the re-location of studios like Paperboat, Prime Focus from India?

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world44 distributor in place in the case of a film. So, the Indian producer must obtain approval from the Indian distributor, and the Canadian producer must obtain approval from the Canadian distributor. If it is a coproduction of a series, we must also obtain approval from the Indian and Canadian broadcasters.

I believe it’s a positive step because Indian studios are daring to become multinational. Second, they are a fully recognised Canadian studio under Canadian law, and they can officially enter into co-productions with Indian studios. This will allow the matching to happen much faster,because they are physically present in that location. I believe that will greatly benefit co-production as well as joint productions. I also believe that this trend will continue to grow because most Indian studios that are producing original content have realised that a large amount of pre-production skills are available there, and one can actually create a high-quality production package there while using production capabilities from India. This will, in fact, aid the ‘Make in India, Show the World’,which is one of the most significant initiatives launched by our Honourable India’s Prime Minister, and it truly encompasses design, media & entertainment as a key contributor to the “Make in India” programme. I am particularly proud of Prime Focus, Paperboat, Green Gold, Cosmos Maya, Toonz Media Group in particular and several other studio’s who have ventured into starting studio’s in several other countries including Canada. The Indian AVGC- XR studios just in the short time frame have recognised the potential of becoming multinational studios and leveraging the strengths of several creative content creation eco-systems to its benefit. In time to come I clearly see Indian AVGC – XR companies getting recognised as global players. This is indeed a very positive growth in establishing Indian creative content creations and design leadership in ever evolving global creative content economy.

So, we need to make sure that we funnel down to the studio-to-studio interactions, and that is something that will help sign more and more co-productions, because only then will they be able to use the incentive packages in the co-production funding, which is an effective funding mechanism, and they also have a framework. What procedures must Canadian studios follow in order to co-produce in India?

If a Canadian producer wants to come and shoot in India, for example, they should look for an Indian production partner who will partner with them, and that’s how they can shoot in India with the help of the partner, and the partnering studio will then either do it as a service or can do it as a co- production, and then they can unlock the incentive plan and the funding that has also been provided. To get there, you must first meet those requirements.

NFDC has set up a single window clearance to help ease of doing shoots in India and get required permissions. Even several state governments in India have policies in place to facilitate the shoots in respective states thru single window clearance mechanism. What steps India and TIFF can take in the short term in order to strengthen the IndiaCanada relationship?

MOST AWAITED INDIAFILMSOF

Some are ready to hit the big screens. A few of them need shooting days, while some other flicks are in the post production stage. Here are top 2022 Indian movies waiting with optimism to release in a theatre near you. A quick look at the most awaited films from India

INDIAFILMSOF

Vikram Vedha While the original Tamil film starred R Madhavan as Inspector Vikram, with Vijay Sethupathi portraying Vedha, the remake will see Saif taking on the role of Vikram opposite Hrithik Roshan’s Vedha. The movie will be directed by the director duo Pushkar-Gayathri. With a promising cast of stars, the au diences’ expectations from the Hindi remake of “Vikram Vedha” have only been on the rise since its announce ment. The trailer of the film which was released recently has raised the expectations for the film.

Brahmmasthra

Ayan Mukerji’s directorial Brahmastra Part One: Shiva is inching close to its release, on 9 September 2022. The hype and buzz surrounding this movie are the biggest so far compared to all other releases from Bollywood this year. Makers are spending a hefty amount for promoting this biggie. The trailer of Brahmas tra was released on 15th June and it managed to succeed in generating huge buzz, especially due to its extraordinary visual effects. The music of this album was like adding a cherry to the cake, and went viral on the internet over night.

Thank God Thank God is an upcoming Hindi movie. The movie is directed by Indra Kumar and will feature Ajay Devgn, Sidharth Malhotra, Rakul Preet Singh and Abhinay Raj Singh as lead characters. Other popular actors who were roped in for Thank God are Mahesh Balraj, Saanand Verma and Vikram Kochhar. This Indra Kumar directorial promises to not only tickle your funny bones, but also convey a beautiful message. In fact, Ajay Devgn and Rakul Preet had earlier exclusively revealed to Bollywood Life that Thank God is not an out-an-out comedy like most Indra Kumar movies, and we’ll have to just wait and watch how it’s different.

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PS-I Directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-wrote it with Elango Kumaravel and B Jeyamohan, Ponniyin Selvan is one of the most anticipated films in India. Ponniyin Selvan was originally intended to be a stand-alone film but it was later split into two parts. The first part, PS-I is scheduled to have a worldwide theatrical release on 30 September 2022 in both standard and IMAX format. The movie has an ensemble cast including Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai and Trisha.

India’s Only

www.pickle.co.inMedia48 Kushi Vijay Devarakonda and Samantha are collaborating for Shiva Nirvana’s Kushi movie. Being a family and love entertainer, there are many expectations on it. The title motion poster looked amazing and showcased Vijay as a Kashmiri guy and Sam in a traditional avatar. Directed by Shiva Nirvana, the movie is being produced by Mythri Movie Makers. According to the sources, the film is set in the backdrop of Kashmir and Hesham Abdul Wahab will score the tunes for this movie. This movie has an ensemble cast of Jayaram, Sachin Khedakar, Murali Sharma, Lakshmi, Ali, Rohini, Vennela Kishore, Rahul Ramakrishna, Srikanth Iyengar and Saranya. This movie is being made at Pan-India level and thus it is being made in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.

BIZ magazine for the world

Sardar Sardar is an upcoming Tamil-language spy action thriller film written and directed by P. S. Mithran and produced by S. Lakshman Kumar under the banner of Prince Pictures. The film stars Karthi (in dual role and titular role) and Raashii Khanna with Rajisha Vijayan, Chunky Panday, Laila, Murali Sharma and Munishkanth in prominent roles. The film marks Bollywood actor Suyash Pandey’s debut in Tamil cinema, and actress Laila’s comeback to the cinema after 16 years. The film has triggered huge expectations in the industry. In fact, its digital rights have already been procured by Aha even before the film’s completion. Karthi will feature two looks in the movie and the first looks posters have gone viral already. Gold Gold, Alphonse Puthren’s first film after Premam (2015), features Prithviraj Sukumaran and Nayanthara as the lead pair. The Malayalam comedy-drama is set to hit the the atres on September 8. The film’s music is composed by Rajesh Murugesan while Anend C. Chandran and Viswajith Oduk kathil handle the cinematography of the film. In addition to writing, editing and directing the film, Puthren also worked on the stunt choreography, visual effects, color grading and animation titles of the film. The story unravels between the incidents that take place within four days of Joshi, a mobile shop owner who purchases a new car owing to a marriage alliance that is almost fixed with a girl called Radha.

Adipurush After the Baahubali series Prabhas has grown as a Pan India star. There are many expectations for his upcoming flick ‘Adipurush’. Om Raut is directing this modern depiction of the epic Ramayana with emphasized technical aspects with the help of visual effects and computer graphics. The movie is entirely being shot in sync sound. Prabhas will be seen in the role of Ram while Kriti Sanon will play Sita. The movie, which was shot across various locations in India and on specially erected periodical sets, is aimed for a grand worldwide theatrical release on January 12, 2023. Adipurush is one of the most expensive films that India has ever produced, at a set budget of Rs 500 Crore. The movie is being shot in Telugu and Hindi simultaneously.

Naane Varuven

The movie has huge expectations as it brings back Dhanush and Selvaraghavan after a gap of eleven years. All of their previous ventures – Kadhal Kondaein, Mayakam Yenna, Pudhupettai and Devathaiyai Kanden have been successful. The producer of the film, Kalaipulis Thanu recently unveiled two new posters of the film and said the movie will hit theatres soon. The posters feature Dhanush in two different looks, and it is speculated that these are the looks of the dual roles of the actor. Dhanush will be playing the hero and villain in the film. This is not the first time Dhanush is playing dual roles in a film. It is said that Selvaraghavan plays an important role in the movie.

Vaarisu ‘Varisu’ directed by Vamshi Paidipal ly is touted to be a family-based mass entertainer. Rashmika Mandanna is paired with Vijay in the film. Sarath Kumar, Prabhu, Prakash Raj, Srikanth, Khusboo, Sangeetha, Shaam and Jayasudha will be seen in other prominent roles. Director Vamshi has scripted the film along with Hari and Ahishor Solomon. It is produced by Dil Raju and Sirish under Sri Venkateswara Creations. Karthik Palani is the cinematographer and edits will be handled by Praveen KL. The posters of the film which have been released so far have raised the expectations for the film. Also this will be Vijay’s first Tamil-Telugu bilingual.

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AK61

Ajith has joined hands with H Vinoth for the third continuous-time for his 61st film after ‘Nerkonda Paarvai’ and ‘Valimai’. It’s going to be a full and full di rector’s cut this time, and the expectations are high for the film. Ajith is said to be playing a dual role as both hero and villain, and he has been sporting a superfit look with a stylish beard for his role in the film. Actress Manju Warrier is on board AK 61 as the female lead of the film. The actress is said to have a strong role in the film. The team of AK 61 wanted a strong performer to play the lead role opposite Ajith in the heist film. Ghibran is scoring the music, while the makers have retained most of the crew from the previous two films.