NEW DELHI: The Government is actively pursuing with the industry for setting up of an Export Promotion Council, following a recommendation made by the Core Group on ‘Export of films and related issues’ in 2007.

The Core Group also recommended that existing Plan scheme of the Ministry may be encouraged and strengthened, Information and Broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi informed Parliament today.
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The provision for grants-in-aid to the Federation of Film Societies of India and support to non-governmental and state government organizations to promote Indian cinema in the country and overseas has been more than doubled in the Eleventh Plan to Rs 206.9 million. The allocation in the Tenth Plan was Rs 98.94 million.

The films are promoted through a scheme called ‘Export Promotion through film festivals in India and Abroad’ implemented through the Directorate of Film Festivals. The scheme covers the organizations of the International Film Festival of India, participation in various film festivals in India and abroad and conduction of film festivals. Films are sent to various Indian embassies for conduct of festivals also. Films are a medium of cultural export. The conduct of film festivals abroad not only promotes Indian culture but also facilitates export of Indian films.

The existing Main Secretariat Scheme of the Ministry, ‘Participation in Film Markets’, envisages providing support, facilitation and promotion of the export potential of the Indian film industry. The scheme intends to cover not only specific institutionalized international markets such as Cannes Film Market/Berlin Film Festival/American Film Market/MIPCOM, Cannes among others (participation to be decided yearly) but also the Film Bazaar which is held along side the International Film Festival of India each year.

In the Tenth Plan a sum of Rs 44.29 million was utilized for the purpose. The provision for the Eleventh Plan is for Rs 110 million.