‘Bharat Parv’ to be hosted at the Cannes Film Festival 2024 to showcase India’s creative economy

India is set to host a section at the Cannes Film Festival 2024 called, 'Bharat Parv', the Information and Broadcasting Ministry announced on Friday. The delegation will consist of representatives from central and state governments along with members of the film industry. It will showcase India's creative economy in Marche du Films through a series of significant initiatives for eminent dignitaries and delegates from around the world.

‘Bharat Parv’ will be inaugurated at the 77^th Cannes Film Festival on May 15 in the presence of eminent celebrities. It will be organized by the National Film Development Corporation in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry as industry partner. It has been designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

A ‘Bharat Stall’ will also be put in the Marche du Cannes through the Confederation of Indian Industry.

This will be for the first time that the country will host such a section at the Cannes Film Festival to engage with film celebrities, filmmakers, directors, producers, buyers and sales agents from across the world and showcase the creative opportunities and a rich bank of creative talent.

Along with that, the official poster and trailer of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), to be held in Goa on November 20 to 28, will also be unveiled at the Bharat Parv, the release stated. The delegation will also see the release of the “Save the Date” for the first edition of the World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit, which will take place alongside the 55th IFFI.

Further, several Indian films will be showcased at the festival this year. The highlight will be filmmaker Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light, which has been selected in the Competition section, where it will vie for the top prize, Palme d'Or.

British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri's Santosh will be showcased under the Un Certain Regard section.

Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, a short film by the students of Film and Television Institute of India students, has been shortlisted in the La Cinef Competitive section.

Karan Kandhari's Sister Midnight will be screened in Directors' Fortnight and Maisam Ali's In Retreat will be showcased in L’Acid.

Along with that, a restored version of veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal's 1976 film Manthan will be screened under Cannes Classics, a section created 20 years ago which features celebrations, restored prints and documentaries.

National Award-winning cinematographer Santosh Sivan will be the recipient of the prestigious Pierre Angenieux tribute at the festival, where he will also deliver a masterclass, becoming the first Indian to be recognised with the honour.