Nirmal John

Mumbai: India is in various stages of setting up co-production treaties for movies with countries like China, South Africa, France and New Zealand. The country already has similar agreements with Germany, United Kingdom and Brazil.

Co-production treaties are a way to smoothen cultural exchange between countries as well as help raise money for film productions.

Sangeeta Singh, director-films, ministry of information and broadcasting, said, “We are in various stages of negotiating treaties.We should be signing with China in the next six months. In the case of countries like New Zealand, we are still in the initial stages. These treaties enable swapping of both technologies and talent.”

Singh said through these co-production treaties, the ministry is also hoping to increase the export potential of the local film industry as such films would get the status of national production in both countries. This would help ensure better box office collections.

Often such agreements have clauses that stipulate shooting in the signatory county as well as the use of artists from the country. It also helps to smoothen the process of importing equipment needed for films.

While the agreement with Germany has not yet found too many takers, experts believe that it is a matter of time.

Norbert Sauer, executive film producer, Germany said, “There is a lot of state money to invest in films in Germany. We have to only find good partners and stories so that we can make films that work in both the countries.”

Pakistani filmmaker Raana Sheikh, appealed to the Indian film industry to invest in its Pakistani counterpart.

“Raising money in Pakistan is very difficult as people don’t understand the industry while India has people who know the industry.”

Gordon Platt, director, Department of Canadian Heritage said, “I am in India to explore possibilities of have a coproduction agreement”

Source : DNA