Film Production
EU Film Festival workshop inspires with storytelling insights on day three
Mumbai: Day three of the European Union Film Festival (EUFF) brought a powerful blend of cinematic storytelling and creativity, captivating audiences in New Delhi. The workshop ‘Character Building in Cinematic Worlds’, led by Lithuanian-American filmmaker Tomas Vengris and Indian novelist-screenwriter Alina Gufran, offered invaluable guidance to aspiring filmmakers, drawing an enthusiastic crowd and inspiring fresh perspectives on narrative creation.
Organised in collaboration with Unbox Cultural Futures, the workshop focused on character development and narrative depth, essential skills for young, independent creatives. Vengris shared his approach to the theme of identity crisis, a common thread in his films, rooted in his upbringing between Lithuania and the U.S. “When someone struggles with a project, it becomes a huge learning curve. Everything is new and challenging. You finish that project, feel like you’ve got it figured out, and then with the next one, it’s like starting from scratch. That sense of constant reinvention is what makes it so thrilling,” he remarked.
Gufran, known for drawing from her own experiences in her work, discussed themes like the immigrant experience, interfaith dynamics, and belonging. These personal insights, she explained, shape her storytelling and provide a window through which she explores complex identities.
The workshop saw participation from emerging filmmakers, young creatives, and film students, all eager to deepen their storytelling craft.
Alongside the workshop, Day 3 featured screenings of three acclaimed films: “The Man Without Guilt from Slovenia”, directed by Ivan Gergolet; “Dangerous Men from Poland”, directed by Maciej Kawalski; and “Baan from Portugal”, directed by Leonor Teles. Each film resonated deeply with the Delhi audience, receiving warm applause and appreciation.
The 29th European Union Film Festival will continue in New Delhi until 16 November 2024, showcasing a diverse lineup of films from across Europe.
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
