The Indian delegation at the 74th Cannes Film Festival will mark legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s birth centenary and celebrate our Independence Day in advance. The then-Union minister of information & broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, inaugurated the virtual India Pavilion at the French festival yesterday.
This is the second year in a row that the pavilion is being held virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. While this year's edition is being held physically, France has not allowed anyone to travel from India for the event.
It gives me immense pleasure to inaugurate the India Pavilion at the 74th Cannes Film Festival.
— PIB India (@PIB_India) July 6, 2021
This pavilion, though virtual, can become a meeting place and that's what we want.
- Union Minister @PrakashJavdekar#IndiaAtCannes #Cannes2021 pic.twitter.com/PkS1BhWFcz
However, Javadekar was optimistic and stated that the “virtual India pavilion can become a meeting place to meet and discuss the future of the world of cinema”. He hoped that many international productions would continue to film in India and said that a special facilitation office had been established for shooting permissions to be eased.
“The Cannes Film Festival is a festival of creativity and talent but simultaneously a place for business as well. The Cannes Film market offers a big opportunity for the filmmakers of the world. Films will do huge business after the pandemic and many of the films are shot for OTT platforms also,” Javadekar said.
The dates for the 52nd International Film Festival of India were also announced for November, and that this year the Pavilion and the festival would celebrate India’s independence and commemorate the birth centenary of Ray.
India is one of the largest producers of cinema. It has been our privilege to participate in the Cannes Film Festival every year.
— PIB India (@PIB_India) July 6, 2021
Inspite of #COVID19 pandemic, we are here to showcase our cultural & cinematic heritage to the world: Secretary, @MIB_India Amit Khare#Cannes2021 pic.twitter.com/fhyHP2QLjP
Ray had a special relationship with the French festival; several of his films were screened there. Pather Panchali (1955), Parash Pathar (1958), Devi (1960) and Ghare Baire (1985) were screened in competition while others like Charulata (1964) and Ganashatru (1990) had special screenings over the years.