Hindi
NFDC Film Bazaar 2013 to kick start on 20 November in Goa
MUMBAI: Film Bazaar- South Asia’s global film market, National Film Development Corporation’s (NFDC) promotional arm, is set to kick start from 20 – 24 November and will be in its seventh edition this year. The film market, like every year, will be held at Marriott Resort, Goa, alongside International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
The market this year will have an eclectic mix of influential people like Christian Jeune- Cannes Film Festival; Thierry Fremaux – Cannes Film Festival; Marco Mueller- Rome Film Festival; Derek Malcolm – British Film Critic and Historian; Chris Paton, Fortissimo; Jacobine Van Der Vloed- Cinemart (Rotterdam); Remi Burah- Arte France Cinema; Sergio Fant –Locarno International Film Festival; Charles Tesson – Semaine De La Critique; Frederic Boyer- Tribeca Film Festival; Anne Delseth- Director’s Fortnight Cannes Film Festival, to name a few.
Film Bazaar this year will launch a new program ‘Producers’ Lab’, which aims at providing training and networking opportunities to upcoming producers from across the country and will also consist of workshop sessions, case studies and one-on-one meetings spread over three days. These sessions will be conducted by well known domestic and international film fraternity.
The ‘Screenwriters’ Lab’, with its six independent screenwriters this year, conducted its first phase of mentored workshop at Toronto International Film Festival and will conclude with its second phase, like every year, at Film Bazaar. Co-production Market finalists comprises an interesting line-up from countries, namely Afghanistan, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Poland, Luthuania, and projects by Govind Nihalani’s A Holy Fire, Shyam Benegal’sRoads To Freedom, Umesh Kulkarni’s Highway, Anup Singh’sA Scorpion’s Song to name a few.
The recently announced ‘Film Bazaar Recommends’ list of films includes Pakistan’s official submission for foreign language film at the 86th Academy Awards- Zinda Bhaag starring Naseeruddin Shah, Jai Ho– A docu-feature based on Indian music composer and singer A.R.Rahman and auteur filmmaker Kamal Swaroop’s Rangbhoomi, amongst other.
Hindi
Rajesh Ramaswamy exits The Script Room to focus on filmmaking journey
Ad filmmaker steps away from own venture to pursue direction and storytelling
MUMBAI: In a move that has caught the attention of the advertising and creative community, Rajesh Ramaswamy has announced his exit from The Script Room, the company he co-founded, marking the end of a seven-year stint at the helm.
The decision, which came into effect earlier this month, signals a shift in focus for Ramaswamy, who is now looking to immerse himself fully in filmmaking and direction as an independent creative.
Known for blending sharp advertising insight with storytelling craft, Ramaswamy has been instrumental in shaping The Script Room into a creative hub that delivered campaigns, branded content, and original storytelling formats. Over the years, the company collaborated with agencies, directors, and a wide network of writers, while also experimenting with formats such as short films and web series.
Sharing his thoughts on the transition, Ramaswamy indicated that the move is driven by a desire to focus and explore stories he has been developing over time. While he acknowledged the unconventional nature of stepping away from one’s own venture, he also framed it as a necessary leap toward clarity and creative pursuit.
Importantly, The Script Room will continue its operations with its current team and leadership, with Ramaswamy expressing confidence in the group that helped build the company’s identity. The studio, he noted, remains well-positioned to evolve further with fresh talent and ideas.
His exit also reflects a wider industry trend, where experienced advertising professionals are increasingly transitioning into independent filmmaking, tapping into the growing opportunities across digital and long-form content platforms.
As Ramaswamy steps into this new phase, the move underscores a familiar creative instinct, sometimes, the boldest ideas begin with a clean break.
