Celebrating yet another milestone in cinematic innovation and international collaboration, Film Bazaar 2024 concluded on a promising note as part of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Organized by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the event brought together industry stalwarts, emerging filmmakers, and global partners to celebrate the art of storytelling and foster new creative ventures.

Over the years, Film Bazaar has become a vital platform for discovering, supporting, and showcasing South Asian content and talent. It continues to be a dynamic hub for collaboration and growth within the global film industry.

In a major announcement during the event, Mukesh Chhabra revealed his collaboration with Film Bazaar on two Co-Production Market (CPM) projects. The first, Baaghi Bechare (Reluctant Rebels), is a CPM feature film for which he will cast talent for free. The second, Pondi Cherie, is a CPM web series that will also benefit from Chhabra’s expertise in casting at no cost. This collaboration highlights Film Bazaar’s continued commitment to nurturing creative talent and strengthening industry partnerships.

The event also announced exciting new landmark partnerships such as a collaboration with Final Draft for screenwriting development, engagements with the Film Independent Episodic Writing Workshop to foster episodic storytelling and a partnership with SAAVA & ATF IP Accelerator, which recognized Kothiyan- Fishers of Men in the CPM.

Apart from these initiatives, Work in Progress (WIP) Awards were given to the following films:
Kaatti Ri Raatti: Hunter’s Moon by Ridham Janve received the Prasad Labs Award for 50 hours of free 4K DI.
Shape of Momo by Tribeni Rai was awarded a DI package worth ₹6 lakhs by the Nube Studio.
Special Mentions included The Good, the Bad and the Hungry and The Red Hibiscus, which received a 50% discount on 50 hours of DI from Prasad Labs.
Reflecting the vibrant and inclusive spirit of the event, the top three winners in the Film Bazaar Recommends (FBR) category were each awarded Rs. 3 lakhs in sponsorship and promotional benefits.

The winners were:

Angammal, directed by Vipin Radhakrishnan
House of Manikanta, written and directed by Pinaki Janardhan
Flames, written and directed by Ravishankar Kaushik
In addition to the financial rewards, the winners will receive several additional benefits. This includes Rs. 2 lakh worth of trailer promotion in up to 300 QUBE Cinema theatres, along with other promotional opportunities to help elevate their projects to a broader audience.

The winner of the Student Producer Workshop Pitch Awards was announced to Deadly Dosas by Anusree Kelat, while the Runner-up award went to Lakad Haara by Punjal Jain.

In a first for Film Bazaar, the event introduced the Co-Production Market Feature Cash Grants category, recognizing outstanding pitches from filmmakers.

The First Prize in this category was awarded to Kurinji (The Disappearing Flower), directed by Payal Sethi and produced by Thanikachalam SA.
The Second Prize went to Kothiyan – Fishers of Men, directed by Sanju Surendran and produced by Pramod Sankar.
The Third Prize was given to All Ten Heads of Ravana, directed by Pranjal Dua and produced by Bich-Quan Tran.
Additionally, a Special Mention for Best Pitch was awarded to Baaghi Bechare (Reluctant Rebels), directed by Sumit Purohit and produced by Chippy Babu and Abhishek Sharma.

In a special initiative, the French Institute of India was also honoured for its consistent efforts to promote French delegates’ participation in the Film Bazaar. The evening concluded with a teaser for WAVES 2025, offering a glimpse into the exciting future of Film Bazaar.

The ceremony featured addresses by Shri Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and MD, NFDC, and Ms. Vrunda Manohar Desai, Joint Secretary of Films at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Also present were Jerome Paillard, Advisor to Film Bazaar, renowned actor Avinash Tiwary, and acclaimed casting director Mukesh Chhabra.

The event reaffirmed its legacy as a global hub for storytelling and innovation, setting the stage for Film Bazaar 2025. With excitement already building, next year’s edition promises to deliver another year of ground-breaking achievements and dynamic cinematic collaborations.

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Ajay KR