At a panel held during the Film Bazaar in Goa at the 55th IFFI Goa Film Festival, former Cannes Film Market head Jérôme Paillard, now an advisor to India’s Film Bazaar, led a discussion with leading international producers on the dynamics of India-Europe co-productions.
Film Federation of India President Ravi Kottarakara traced the evolution of these collaborations over the past four decades, highlighting the transition from simple distribution deals to today’s incentive-driven partnerships. He emphasised the importance of creating globally resonant content, urging filmmakers to produce stories that appeal not only to their home country but also to co-producing nations and international audiences: “Make content which is acceptable to my country and to the co-producing country and other countries.” Kottarakara explained how veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra opened the floodgates of film tourism in Europe, especially in Western Europe by filming his movies abroad. That led to inspiring tourists to flock to Europe from India and experience the culture and beauty of European countries. This brought a landmark change in how grants and treaties were shaped for filmmaking - for Indians. Some of which, the FFI President wrote himself. India’s perception and tryst with Europe wouldn’t have been the same if Indian movies hadn’t been made abroad. That became instrumental in how co-productions happened in Indian cinema with international ties.
Responding to Paillard’s questions about the practical challenges of India-Europe co-productions, the panellists identified significant hurdles, including differing funding structures, distribution models, and business cultures. Producer Chassagne compared co-productions to marriages, emphasising the necessity of clear communication and early agreement on terms. “You need to have all the hard conversations as soon as possible,” she advised, underscoring the importance of upfront planning.
The discussion also touched on the impact of streaming platforms on traditional territory-based sales models. Academy Award-Winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor highlighted how negotiations over digital rights have added layers of complexity to co-production agreements, altering the way cross-border partnerships are structured in the streaming era. Together, the panel offered valuable insights into navigating the evolving landscape of international co-productions.
IFFI Goa 2024 also marked the advent of state broadcaster Prasar Bharti’s newly launched OTT app called WAVES which will have films and content around racism, and child marriage while bringing back nostalgia from the 80s and 90s Doordarshan shows back to OTT. Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant launched Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, ‘WAVES,’ at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) opening ceremony. The platform blends classic Doordarshan shows like Ramayan and Shaktimaan with diverse, modern content in 12+ languages across 10+ genres. Offering video-on-demand, live TV, gaming, radio streaming, and e-commerce, WAVES bridges tradition with innovation. It supports young creators, showcasing student films from top media institutes and National Creator Awardees like Kamiya Jani and RJ Raunac. Emphasising Indian culture with a global outlook, WAVES aims to redefine digital engagement for all generations.
