Roll out the global red carpet! Bollywood filmmakers are increasingly opting for the red carpets of international film festivals to showcase their films

Roll out the global red carpet!

Bollywood filmmakers are increasingly opting for the red carpets of international film festivals to showcase their films

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur made quite an impact at the Cannes Film Festival when it premiered there in May this year. Former Queen Bee Sridevi’s comeback film English Vinglish, which is slated to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, is creating a buzz. The festival will also host a screening of Vasan Bala’s Peddlers, after the movie’s Cannes outing, where it competed in the International Critics Week. Now, there’s also buzz that Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh may premiere at the London Film Festival, joining the ever-growing list of mainstream films not just being premiered on foreign shores, but at international film fests. Industry observers admit that following in the footsteps of many parallel cinema makers, filmmakers here are now increasingly tapping such coveted film festivals to showcase their films. “Such prestigious festivals are much preferred when it comes to presenting their films as it’s the best way to introduce their film to a global market and garner respectability too as most of these films are actually invited by the organisers,” explain insiders. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap whose Gangs... had created quite a buzz at Cannes, says that the global reach of Indian films is widening. “Not only these well-known festivals, we are in fact even looking at exploring, untapped global markets for our films,” says the filmmaker. As for being invited at a prestigious film festival, like the Toronto film fest, Gauri Balki, the debutant director of English Vinglish says, “It’s an honour as films across this category often get nominated for the Oscars.” She adds, “A filmmaker’s dream is to get an opportunity to showcase their film to audiences across the world and mine has come true with English Vinglish being premiered at prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.” Trade analyst Taran Adarsh agrees that the interest in Bollywood is on a constant upswing. “It works both ways. Films here get that global approval and the festivals there get a dose of Bollywood flavour,” explains Taran affirming that it’s an encouraging sign for the industry at large.