The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced an extension of the submission deadline for projects for the inaugural Doc Film Bazaar, which runs alongside the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF). Originally scheduled for March 31, 2024, the deadline has been extended to April 10, 2024, to accommodate project submissions by filmmakers operating in geographically remote areas of the country.
The Doc Film Bazaar, slated to occur from June 16th to 18th, 2024, in Mumbai, aims to offer a comprehensive platform to promote and support documentary, short film, and animation content, showcasing talent in filmmaking, production, and distribution.
Key segments of the Doc Film Bazaar include the Doc Co-Production Market (Doc CPM), Doc Viewing Room (Doc VR), and Doc Work-In-Progress Lab (Doc WIP), inviting filmmakers to submit their works. The Doc Co-Production Market (CPM) serves as an exclusive platform to seek artistic and financial support from the global film community, facilitating partnerships between filmmakers and potential producers or co-producers worldwide, and providing opportunities for collaboration, co-productions, and funding for documentary and animation film projects.
Filmmakers can pitch their projects to explore avenues for financial support and collaboration at both domestic and international levels. Selected projects from the Doc Co-Production Market will have the opportunity to pitch their projects in an Open Pitch session and engage in One-to-One meetings with producers, distributors, and financiers. The Viewing Room (VR) offers a platform for filmmakers to showcase their documentary, short, and animation films, providing registered delegates access to view a curated selection of films, ideal for seeking world sales, distribution partners, co-producers, finishing funds, and festival screenings.
The Work-In-Progress Lab (WIP) is a closed-door lab for films in the rough-cut stage, where selected project representatives receive mentorship, feedback, and opportunities to interact with industry professionals. Exclusively open to documentary and animation films above 30 minutes, the lab requires submissions to be in the rough-cut stage or just before the final edit, without post-production processes like DI or final sound design.
Shri. Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films) and MD, NFDC, emphasized the initiative’s focus on providing access to opportunities to showcase genuine and compelling stories on an international scale. Doc Film Bazaar aims to offer valuable insights into current trends, market demands, distribution strategies, and audience preferences, enabling selected projects to receive feedback, insights, and suggestions from industry experts and experienced filmmakers, while providing opportunities to find collaborators who can acquire their films or assist in completing the projects.
