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From theindianentertainment.com ● Volume No: I-34 pickle● May 19-25, 2007 ● New ●

Cheeni Kum gets standing ovation at the Cannes market BIG B AT CANNES Eros celebrates 30th anniversary at Cannes with

t was Amitabh Bachchan's first walk at the Cannes Croisette and the legendary actor got everyone by big surprise. The occasion was the premiere of the market screening of Cheeni Kum starring Amitabh, directed by R Balki and distributed worldwide by . This is the biggest premiere at CannesI in recent times of an Indian movie after Devdas (which was also done by Eros, first company within the Indian entertainment sector to list on the AIM London Stock Exchange in July 2006. ``It is great to see the visibility of Indian cinema grow- ing popular outside the country,'' said Amitabh, who will also, be the brand ambassador at IIFA, Yorkshire in the first week of June. He praised Eros chairman Kishore evolves into romance. It is a story of their funny struggle Lulla's role in popularizing and expanding Indian content to break the news to the woman's father and the chaos in the overseas market. they go through convincing him and making him accept Amitabh's Cheeni Kum drew cheers and wow from the them as couple. (taken from the director's note). Cannes audience (In addition to overseas buyers one Meanwhile, Eros announced the first-look of Goldie could see representatives of Indian theatre chains - Behl's Abhishek starring Drona, Big Screen Entertainment's Adlabs, Inox, PVR watch the movie. Also PP Hinduja No Smoking, Sohail production Partner, 's shaking hands with Gandhi My Father, Sajid Lulla). The movie is Nadiawala's Heyy released to worldwide The Indian industry Babyy among others. audiences on May 25. ``The Indian film It is a love story of isis goinggoing throughthrough anan industry is going an 64-year old arrogant through an explosive acidic chef of London's explosive growth phase. growth phase. Our goal top Indian restaurant Our goal is to consolidate is to consolidate con- (played by Amitabh) and Our goal is to consolidate tent, talent and global a simple 34-year old un- content, talent and global distribution. married woman visiting I reckon by 2015 London. distribution Indian entertainment in- It is a story of how dustry will be a $ 75 bil- they meet, how they KISHORE LULLA lion industry and we are fight, how they make up, Chairman, Eros International excited to play a key role how their relationship is celebrating its 30th anniversay at Cannes this year in this space,'' said Lulla.

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IDream scores big hit at Cannes Film market Win-win for Idream IDream Independent Pictures managed to sell six of their movies in the overseas market. The company lured over 200 buyers in their eleven market screenings Dream Independent through most of what we Pictures (IDIP), which would do at Cannes,'' said positioned itself as Rohit. IDIP is playing the India's premier interna- key role of sales agents for tional sales agent got independent filmmakers Ioff to a bright start and who were unable to sell managed to complete all their in the interna- deals that they were plan- tional market. ning to conduct at the IDream is the first com- world's largest film market. pany in India to experiment IDream, based in UK and this sales agency model. had eleven market IDreams aims to create a screenings of the six films bouquet of a dozen new (Karma Confessions, Holi, film in the next six months Telling Lies, On Life & to distribute it in new territo- Englightenment, Name of the movie: Territories sold ries and markets. Americanisizg Shelly, Bombil ``Our strength has always & Beatrice, My Own Sky) MY OWN SKY- Singpore, Indonesia and Malaysia been in opening new they brought to Cannes to ON LIFE & ENLIGHTENMENT, THE DALAI LAMA-- Greece, markets and new platforms market. IDreams lured over Japan, Portugal, Thailand for our products. We are AMERICANZING SHELLY- Scandinavia, Philipines, Thailand, 200 buyers for their market Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and bringing our selling skill to screerings and deals for ma- IDIP for the benefit of new jority of the overseas terri- Indonesia producers. We are targeting toires have been finalised TELLING LIES-- Spain, Scandinvaia, Italy mainstream international KARMA, CONFESSIONS, HOLI -- Singapore, Indonesia, (see box on closed deals). Malayisa, Phillipines distributors and buyers ``We had a great response including studios,'' said for all the movies that we Ashish Bhatnagar,CEO, got to Cannes,'' said Rohit IDream Productions, which Sharma, president,international sales, IDream Independent has set up IDIP as the sales arm. The company is also Pictures. Rohit is regular at all the major markets. working to set up a world-class offshore studio facility In fact, IDreams is the only company from India which targeting the booming film, TV and advertising has cracked the Cannes market in 2007.``We had thought business as well as foreign productions. India For Everyone at Cannes CANNES: The Brand India visibil- Biju brought cultural diver- ity got a major boost at the sity of India live. UTV with the launched Jodha Akbar and India for Everyone message get Goal at Cannes. into the heart of the delegates ``There is a huge India in- from over 90 countries. It is not terest now and whoever I just the Indian films, but the exchanged cards are doing Incredible India campaign under- some project back in India. taken by the Ministry of Tourism I can say with confidence that became the talking point at that Cannes is not fun, the French Riveria. From Nice but serious business,''said Airport to the exhibition hall in Palais, India presence Khanna. “India was on the radar of the festival and mar- was at its highest in the last five years. The India ket for the first eight days. It is a quite a leap from what Pavilion organised by CII was buzz with lot of net- we used to do in earlier years,” said Ajay Khanna, working and activity. Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian India's legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan was Industry. India was the partner country at the opening here to promote his film Cheeni Kum (Less Sugar),pre- night of the Cannes Market Party on May 17. The India miered at the Cannes Film Market by Eros Focus party was attended by over 1000 people on May International, which has the global distribution rights. 18. Seven Indian movies were screened on May 19 and The presence of creative talents like Maniratman, 20, in addition to the honour of walking the Red Carpet Shankar, Prakashraj, , Raju Hirani, Dr by the India delegation on May 19.

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Here is a close look at what Indian companies did at Cannes Corporate Cannes’ Stories Location shoot. Co-production. Offshoring. These are the major queries that Indian companies got at the Cannes Film Market

launched Ashutosh Gowarikar's Jodha UTV Akbar at Cannes minus the star cast. BIZ ACTIVITIES @ CANNES However, they had and John Abhraham for the launch of Goal.Irfaan Khan was here to walk the Red Carpet to promote Paramount's Danielle Pearl movie A Mighty Heart - and as a bonus got a big boost for his Hindi movie Apna Asman (directed by Kaushik Roy and sales by IDream Independent Pictures) for the North American market. Priety Zinta, , Nandita Das were some of the visible India faces at Cannes. Aishwarya and walked the Red Carpet for Won Kar Wai's opening night film My Blueberry Nights. ● The dates of the International Film Festival of India at Goa were announced. IFFI will take place from November 23 to December 3, 2007. The CII International Content Market will Saregama Stall at Palais coincide with the festival and will take place from November 23-27 at Goa. The added attraction is India-The Big Picture Conference. ● Indian Director Anubhav Sinha announced at Cannes that his company ASP White will produce the $5 million action adventure Chase in Rome. This is the first Indian film to be shot entirely Italy - sometime in August/September. Aditya Bhattacharya is the executive producer. His company is also in talks with United Films (Paris-based) to produce Murali Nair's The Virgin Goat. ● The teaser of SHEMAROO ENTERTAINMENT's animation film Ghatothkach was watched with awe by overseas buyers. ● STUDIO 18 has announced a deal with Virgin ● SUNSTONE ENTERTAINMENT had buyers from to pick a bouquet of their library of Hindi films for the Iranian market. ● After tasting success in Beja Fry, Sunil Doshi's Sunstone's Sanjay Jumani at his stall HANDMADE FILMS had a good market at Cannes for documentary films. ● SAREGAMA's debut at Cannes market is pri- marily to position the company brand ● MOSER BAER projected themselves as a pro- duction company. The strategy to distribute Pushpak and Munnabhai DVD's worked well. The presence of Southern Star on behalf of Duet Movies/Moser Baer is a big gain. ● CORSAN, the Antwerp Belgium-based produc- tion, financing, distribution announced the team- ing with Indian production company Neelmudra Entertainment to produce epic romantic adven- ture $35 million Singularity. The announcement was made by Corson CEO Paul Breuls and Neelmudra chairman Ajey Jhankar. The film will be directed by golden palm winner Roland Joffe. The film stars MOSER BAER at the Palais ALL PHOTO CAPTION IN PICKLE BY MARY SWANN DE OLIVEIRA Aishwarya Rai.

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India Pavilion at the Village International got off to a bright start INDIA ROCKS AT CANNES The India brand was visible across the Cannes Croisette -- thanks to the support from IBEF,Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

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India was the 1 VB Pyarelal JS (Films), The Entertainment Bobby Bedi, Amit Khanna, 3 Society of Goa at 5 spotlight country at Serge Sobczynski, Ranjan Cannes the producers Mathai, Indian Ambassador network, coordinated to France and CII DDG Ajay Refreshments from by NFDC on May 22 Khanna at the India Pavilion 4 Sab Miller and Tea inaguration Board at the India Pavilion The networking seminar at 2 the India Pavilion with independent filmmakers

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4 pickle May 19-25, 2007 ● New Delhi● India India Party at the Cannes Majestic Beach was a super hit SNAPSHOTS FROM INDIA PARTY India was top of the radar of the Cannes Film Festival for the first eight days. The India Party was attended Indian actress PRIETY ZINTA grabbed big attention at the India party by over 1,000 people.

ASHOK CII DDG AJAY KHANNA and Reliance I&B Secretary ASHA SWARUP AMRITRAJ Entertain-ment Chairman AMIT KHANNA and Eros International Chairman share a joke at the party KISHORE LULLA

MANISHA KOILARA and Sunstone Entertainment's The biggest attraction was the SANJAY JUMANI INDIAN FOOD at the India party

Guru director Cisco's New Media head Lage Rago Munnabhai director MANIRATNAM DAN SCHEINMAN RAJU HIRANI

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MARKET INDICATORS PICKLE DIGEST Media & Entertainment Companies traded in the Bonbay Stock Exchange (value in Rs and crore) TEN MOST BUZZED INDIAN Company May 24 P/E Ratio FILMS AT CANNES Adlabs Films 530.25 84.17 Bag films 47.55 118.87 Cheeni kum directed by R. Balki, Starring Amitabh Balaji Telefilm 226.1 27.18 Bachchan, a world premiere market screening, (Eros International) No Smoking, directed by Anurag Cinemax India 145 12.87 Kashyap (Eros International International) Gandhi My Crest Animation 112.2 118.11 Father directed by Feroz Khan (Eros International) Cyber Media 109 118.11 Ghatothkach Master of Magic a 2-D animation film Deccan Chronicle 191.3 11.59 (Shemaroo Entertainment) Apna Asman (My Own Sky), ETC Networks 55 11.22 directed by Kaushik Roy, Starring Irfan Khan (iDream ENT Network India 364 91.23 Independent Pictures) Americanizing Shelley, a comedy Galaxy Ent. 156 148.52 from Lorraine Senna (iDream Independent Pictures) On HT Media 210.5 17.72 Life & Enlightenment, The Dalai Lama (idream Inox Leisure 147.65 50.39 Independent Pictures) Bombil and Beatrice, a reincarna- JagranPrakashan 441 63.82 tion romance from Kaizad Gustad (iDream Independent Pictures) Telling Lies Antara Bhardwaj's thriller (iDream K Sera Sera 18.65 4.25 Independent Pictures) Cash, directed by Anubhav Sinha, Mid Day Multimedia 46.7 25.66 (Adlabs Films) Jodha Akbar, directed by Ashutosh Moser Baer 445.05 — Gowariker, starring Aishwarya Rai, a UTV Production Mukta Arts 102.25 -42.6 NDTV — — Prime Focus 614.5 48.89 Speed Dating is a big hit PVR 223.45 98 The speed-dating sessions facilitated by the Cannes Pritish Nandy 66 17.19 Market were a big hit this year. It brought together Pyramid Samira 336.5 317.45 producers from all around the world -- they sat down Sahara One 467.95 108.76 for twenty minutes changing tables networking Saregama India 292 57.25 with co-production. Shringar Cinema 68.25 -44.29 Sun TV 1411.5 69.9 “The idea is that by the time it is over TV 18 811.15 86.48 you have met 40 new people who you TV Today Network 158.95 32.18 have never met before ” 40.9 69.32 JEROME PAILLARD UTV Software 451 — Executive director of Cannes Film Market. Zee Telefilms 299.95 177.49 The biggest growth this year at the market was Latin America, with a 30 per cent increase on 2006, specially from Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Chile. CONTACT INFORMATION Send your letters, views, suggestions to The Editor Designed by Cannes push to Asian films aneeta.saha PICKLE @gmail.com Sanjoy Roy promoted Teamwork Films has called for email: [email protected] entries for the Asian Festival of First Films at Singapore (November 27-December 4, 2007). It is an annual film and documentary festival to celebrate excellence for first time producers, directors, writers,cinemographers, Make your ad actors, technicians and documentary makers from the Asian diaspora. For eligibility and criteria more powerful than the contact [email protected] Edit in the PICKLE Vencie Fest Block space for the special Cannes The two-time Golden Lion-winning Chinese director Zhang Yimou will head the jury for the Golden Lion PICKLE print guide prize at the 64th edition of the Venice Film Festival. The festival will also collaboarate with Rome Write to: [email protected] CinemaFest (India is the focus country) for its retrospective of Spaghetti Westerns. Indications are that there will be a strong American presence at the fest BY THE NUMBERS from Aug 29-Sept 7 event. Indian contingent to Cannes Film Festival/Market included 250 film profession- als, 80 companies and 40 independent filmmakers. Overall, Indian companies took 150 films to the market, with 30 new projects and had 20 exhibitors. The India Pavilion was organised by Confederation of Indin Industry with support from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

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