In the last decade, NFDC Film Bazaar Screenwriters’ Lab has been an exceptional influence in developing Indian independent cinema that has made waves on the international circuit. Instrumental to this success has been the rigorous Lab process in which six screenwriters from across the country are mentored by acclaimed national and international script experts to deliver polished, market-ready scripts.
Started in 2007, the Lab was created with a vision to fine-tune scripts for international audiences and markets. Spread over four months and three sessions, the Lab concludes at Film Bazaar where participants get to pitch their projects to domestic and international producers and investors at South’s Asia’s largest film market.
Held in collaboration with international film festivals like Venice, Locarno, Toronto and Sarajevo, the Lab has introduced Indian screenwriters to global industry practices. Participants have had the opportunity to attend these top international festivals, gain exposure and make useful connections with the wider filmmaking community.
“Both the Screenwriters’ lab and Film Bazaar were amazing. Our project got into Cinemart in Rotterdam, which would never have been possible without the development in the Lab” – Ritesh Batra, Director, Lunch Box.
In 2011, Ritesh Batra’s ‘Lunchbox’ was picked up by Cedomir Kolar (producer of Oscar-winning film No Man’s Land) from the Lab.
Several other critically acclaimed films also began their journeys at Screenwriters’ Lab. The list includes Laxmikant Shetgaonkar’s Paltadacho Munis (The Man Beyond The Bridge), Gyan Correa’s The Good Road, Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga, Sharat Katariya’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Kanu Behl’s Titli, Ruchika Oberoi’s Island City. Alankrita Srivastava’s forthcoming title Lipstick Under My Burkha is slated for a world premiere at Tokyo International Film Festival and is in the India Gold section at MAMI 2016. Apart from winning several national and international awards, Screenwriters’ Lab films have also found their place in top international festivals like Cannes, Toronto, Venice, Busan, Berlin and Rotterdam.
Last year, a new Lab was created to develop original Indian content for children and young adults. In the first year itself, two projects were selected by the Financing Forum For Kids Content, Malmo, Sweden. This year, the Children’s Lab is collaborating with Cinekid for Professionals, the co-production market of Europe’s largest children’s film festival with an aim to expose Indian filmmakers to the wide range of possibilities inherent in children’s content. All six selected writers will travel to Amsterdam in October to attend Cinekid.
Both Lab participants will pitch their projects at the Screenwriters’ Lab Pitch on Nov 21st, 2016 in Film Bazaar to attending delegates seeking quality scripts and original content.
More details on how to attend the pitching session available at www.filmbazaarindia.com.
