Film mart gets good response at KFF

A film mart which returned to the Kolkata Film Festival (KFF) after a two-year gap this time to promote regional cinemas in national and international markets, has been getting queries related to film business.

“The response has been very positive. We had a good footfall and got some good business enquiries as well. Also it helped us spread awareness about the Bengali film industry to the visiting delegates,” industrialist Sanjay Budhia, who heads the entertainment task force in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), told PTI. Spread across a 6,000 sq feet area near Nandan, the main venue of KFF, the film mart had 16 stalls with sponsorship from CII. Film festival committee member Haranath Chakravorty said the platform provided scope for the Director's Guild, Artists' Forum, Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers and all other production companies to market themselves.

“The main idea was to showcase the success stories from Bengal before all visiting delegates and filmmakers who came from different parts of the country and abroad.

“We also made sure that it turns out to be a platform for budding entrepreneurs in the entertainment sector and new filmmakers,” Budhia said.

They also had regular discussions and interactive sessions between producers, directors, etc, Budhia said adding that the film mart, which was first started in 2003, has been a success this year. The film mart had been part of the KFF from 2003 to 2009 but it was not there in the next two years.