The Indian government has unveiled a fund to help promote Indian films entered in the foreign-language Oscar category and those competing at major international festivals.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s Film Promotion Fund will assist filmmakers in covering publicity, marketing, travel and other related expenses.
While the total size of the fund was not detailed, films entering the foreign-language Oscar race can receive $75,000-$150,000. Films competing at Cannes can receive up to $30,000, while those entered in the official competition categories at Venice can get $22,000.
The fund also covers Indian films competing at such festivals as Sundance, Berlin, Busan, Locarno, Toronto and Rotterdam, among others. “This initiative would help independent film-makers to promote their work across the globe,” I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said.
This year’s foreign-language Oscar submission from India is the crime thriller Visaranai (Interrogation).
