Indian Inc leaders to head for Cannes

Captains of the Indian industry are all set to head for the Cannes Film Festival beginning this week to promote the country's entertainment industry and explore business opportunities.

The delegation would include over 80 companies, which would be marketing 150 films and 35 new projects. Over 20 exhibitors from India will also showcase their products.

The internationally renowned film festival in France will be held May 16-27.

The trip would be jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the industry lobby Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"At Cannes this year, we will engage with the world in reaching out to the heart and the mind. We will do business, promote our product and work on co-production deals," Bobby Bedi, chairman, CII National Entertainment Committee, said in a statement Monday.

"The idea is to get to the world audiences to see Indian cinema and become familiar with our new young aesthetic language," he added.

"The coincidence of the 60th anniversary of Indian independence and the Festive de Cannes is a golden opportunity. By the sheer diversity of styles, subjects, and languages we can truly say that Indian cinema is the very expression of democracy," said Serge Sobczynski, head, All Cinemas of the World section, Cannes Film Festival.x