Dust gathers over Indo-France production treaty

The existence of a film co-production treaty between India and France inked 20 years ago has been all but forgotten.

In all the hoopla surrounding the signing of the Indo-Italian film co-production treaty this year, the existence of a similar treaty between India and France inked 20 years ago has been all but forgotten.

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"Very few people are aware that we were the first to sign a film co-production treaty with India in 1985," French Embassy Audiovisual Attache Mohamed Bendjebbour said at a workshop on 'Indo-France Co-production Opportunities' in Panaji on Tuesday.

However, nothing much had been achieved after it, he said.

"The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has now asked us to update the co-production treaty. The old treaty will remain valid," Bendjebbour said.

According to Jerome Paillard, Managing Director at the Cannes Film Market, the long-forgotten treaty was creating problems for French authorities.

"We are not aware who is currently the Indian partner of the France-based Centre National de la Cinematographie. Many films have been blocked because the identity of the Indian authority is unclear," Paillard said.