NT Reporter
Panaji
Waves Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest film market and a key platform in India’s international film outreach, has opened submissions for its Co-Production Market at the 19th edition to be held from November 20
to 24 in Goa.
Held alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), the market was rebranded as Waves Film Bazaar as part of a strategy to position India as a global hub for content, creativity and co-productions.
Last year, more than 1,800 participants from over 40 countries attended.
The Co-Production Market, a flagship section of the event, is inviting submissions for both feature and documentary projects. Since its launch in 2007, the initiative has provided curated opportunities for filmmakers to secure artistic as well as financial backing. Its goal is to bring together filmmakers from across the world to encourage collaboration and co-productions.
Several acclaimed films, including The Lunchbox, Dum Lagake Haisha, Newton, Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Girls Will Be Girls and In the Belly of a Tiger, have roots in the Bazaar.
For 2025, the Bazaar will award a total of $20,000 (Rs 17.6 lakh) in cash grants to three projects from the Co-Production Market. The prizes include $10,000 (Rs 8.81 lakh) for the first prize in the Feature category, $5,000 (Rs 4.4 lakh) for the second prize in the Feature category, and $5,000 as a special grant for a Documentary project.
The cash grant initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at bridging the gap between creative vision and production through
development funding.
The deadline for submission of Feature film projects is September 7, while Documentary projects can be submitted until September 13. Selected filmmakers will have the chance to engage with producers, distributors, sales agents and financiers, opening doors to meaningful collaboration and co-production deals.
In addition to the Co-Production Market, Waves Film Bazaar will also host market screenings, the Viewing Room — a video library showcasing about 200 new and unreleased films from India and South Asia — and other industry-focused events such as the Work-In-Progress Lab, Knowledge Series, Producer’s Workshop, Country Pavilions and Market Stalls.
These programmes aim to nurture talent, encourage dialogue within the industry, and enhance the global presence of South Asian cinema.
