Bharat Pavilion inaugurated at Cannes Film Festival 2025
What's the story
The illustrious Bharat Pavilion was officially inaugurated at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
The ceremony was graced by Shekhar Kapur, festival director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), veteran actor Anupam Kher, and Paris Region elected official, Ambassador, and Special Delegate for Diplomatic Relations Anne-Louise Mesadieu.
Kapur, in his speech, stressed cinema's transformative power and India's growing influence in the global creative industry.
Speech highlights
Kapur stressed on sharing stories and cultures
In his inaugural address, Kapur emphasized the significance of storytelling, saying, "The art of storytelling is not the art of story-telling, it is the art of teaching others how to listen to your stories."
He said film festivals are platforms for cultural exchange, sharing stories. "Our cultures will survive if we share our culture, our stories will survive if we share our stories," he added.
Kher's reflection
Kher to present 'Tanvi The Great' at Cannes market
Actor Kher, who is showcasing his film Tanvi The Great at the Cannes Market, reminisced about how far Indian cinema has come and how he has taken India to the world.
"I am eight years younger than my country and we both grew up together," said Kher.
"This is my first time in Cannes, I'm so happy to be here at the 'Maha Kumbh of cinema.'"
Poster launch
IFFI 2025 poster and trailer launched at the event
The event also witnessed the launch of the IFFI 2025 poster and trailer.
Gautam Bhanot, GM of Film Promotion (Festivals, Market and International Participation) at NFDC India, said, "IFFI's new poster is a reflection of 'convergence of creativity and technology.' India is ready to embrace technology and play a dominant role in the Global content creation space."
Another key highlight was the launch of the India Film Guide, highlighting India's filmmaking talent, incentives for international co-productions, and filming locations.
Cultural admiration
Mesadieu praised India's cinematic history and cultural diplomacy
Mesadieu spoke about how India's rich cinematic history can tell stories that go beyond borders and how cultural bridges are instrumental in "fostering global understanding and diplomacy."
At Cannes, the Bharat Pavilion is being organized by NFDC and FICCI under the aegis of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
The festival will showcase Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound in the Un Certain Regard segment and a restored version of Satyajit Ray's 1970 classic Aranyer Din Ratri in Classics section.