English Entertainment
CII to organise a Big Picture conference at intl film festival in Goa
MUMBAI: On the occasion of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa which kicks off later this month the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) will organise a conference Big Picture from 22-23 November 2006.
The conference is dedicated to the changing face of Indian cinema and envisions to provide direction for catalysing growth of the Indian film entertainment space. Focussed on the content and financing aspects of the film business with individual sessions on film marketing, communication, co-production and new technologies, the CII endeavours to open new vistas through a series of keynotes, panel discussions and case studies, presenting growth opportunities and strategies to overcome challenges facing the Indian film industry. The conference provides an opportunity to network with the key executives from different organisations.
The speakers include Silicon Image, USA president and CEO Steve Tirado, E&Y global media and entertainment head John Nendick,
Kuwait National Cinema Co head Hisham Alghanim, Motion Pictures Association senior VP and regional director – Asia Pacific region Mike Ellis.
There will be knowledge sessions on home entertainment, financing, mobile entertainment revenues, digital technology and co productions. There is so much talk about the emerging mobile entertainment in the small screen. Where are we headed and what’s the opportunity in this space? That is one of the questions this seminar will tackle.
Around 180 movies will be screened over 11 days of the festival. The films that will be shown include the critically acclaimed Babel with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett that could get a Best Picture Oscar nomination next year. It closes the festival. Volver from Spanish maestro Pedro Almodovar is the opening film of IFFI 2006. The country focus
this year at IFFI will be Argentina. A retrospective of Spanish film actor Javier Bardem will also be part of the action.
The majority of the Indian Panorama movies are available for overseas distribution and theatrical rights. Visitors can can meet the right holders at the Film Bazaar, The Indian Panorama section would feature 20 films, including Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate, Girish Kasaravalli’s Kannada film Nayi Neralu, K. Satyanarayan’s Telugu film Hope, Madhu Kaithapuram’s Malayalam film Ekantham and Cheran’s Dhavmai Dhavamirrunthu.
In the cinema of the world section films that will be screened will include the American comedy Borat
Cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhs. Then there is the Italian film Le Caimanby from Nanni Moretti. The film tackles Italian politics and love as seen through the eyes of a failing film producer. From France there is Little Jerusalem by Kairn Albou The story focuses on sisters Laura (a philosophy student falling in love with an exiled Algerian Muslim) and Matilde (a devout mother of four torn by her husband’s infidelities).
Following her characters from ancient religious rituals to contemporary situations, Albou vividly brings to life the challenges made to religious faith by secular society.
This year the festival will feature a special retrospective of Prithviraj Kapoor’s films, and a special screening of Richard Attenborough’s oscar winner Gandhi will also be held to mark the centenary of Satyagraha movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
Goa Chief Minister Shri Pratapsing Rane said, ‘Goa is slated to be India’s next entertainment super-hub and IFFI 2006 is spearheading its growing recognition as an International cinema destination. This year IFFI 2006 synergises global participation, high profile glamour, world-class entertainment and internationally applauded films. Add to that a beautiful locale and the frills and fancies that come with a red carpet event and you have the perfect concoction of fun, glitz and quality entertainment’.
Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) CEO Nandini Paliwal says, ‘IFFI 2006 will offer the best of world cinema. With acclaimed films from across the globe, the festival represents a kaleidoscope of cultures and creates a medium to appreciate and share cinematic excellence. In fact, ESG is in the process of making a yearly event calendar encouraging associated ventures with international brands in the field of cinema and will work towards making Goa the entertainment heart of the country”.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
