Call for Entries – Film Festival

10 months in advance .. yes ; the best time to call for entries in all categories ..,

Communication now a days is not a big deal , as I discussed earlier also there are many ways to reach in the Target masses for the call of entries … the best options available in different mediums are :

• A Good dynamic website (with SEO Program)
• Submission in engines like withoutabox , bulletfilm, Filmfest etc.
• Facebook, IBIBO, digg , tweeting and Delicious is also effective these days
• Add the call in 1000s of available classifieds on Web and target them to your website
• Block add in National Newspaper, it’s a effective tool so spend some bucks for a national daily(look for advertisement sponsor)
• Collect a e-mail database online and send the directs mails to filmmakers
• Collect a Tickers Advertisement Rates from various TV channel and deal with one (TV Media Partner)
• Poster in various cultural centers
• Develop a Relations with Film Critics (They have a strong Database of Filmmakers )
• Press Conferences


For non competition categories the film Festivals may contact National Film Archive , they have a huge Library of films. A festival can also contact the producer directly and request them to send the film(do not forget to give special recognition to each film along with the decent Media Coverage )

Now a days there are Various companies or Studios Producing many film Every years; do not forget to develop relationship with them and call them to send their films .

Festivals must closely watch the films schedule of other film festivals , and collect a database with is mostly printed in Festival Catalogue.

Say “Success is a ladder you cannot climb with your hands in your pockets” so just take the right step at right time..

India is still waiting for a Film Festival which can meet their Regional, National and International Needs

Starting a Film Festival - “My encounter with Truth “

Is that the Idea in you mind? be ready check your pockets, bank account , friends and followers , I assure you that nobody will be remain yours, it’s a dead deal .

But yes there are always some people who loves to jump in a well .. I have an experience of working in few such deals I will be sharing what I have experienced, lots of things did not worked for me look now I am sitting in my house without work enjoying a packet of Chips with a cup of black coffee reading books and taking workshops to ignite myself back in life .

Going back to 2005 visiting a International Film Festival was a great experience , during a festival I came to know what film festivals are all about but yes one thing which I enjoyed a lot was the quality and content of films . I started reading about film festivals and never missed any festival after that in the Capital.

My passion drived me further and I visited almost every film festival in the country from North to South . My biggest experience was coming back from a Kerala Film Festival in a General Compartment of the Train eating rice with redchillies in Andhra . redchilles were really hot as every bite was telling me , is this the thing you want to do in your life ? When we reached Nizzamudin Station we were left with the bus fair only and I can see a huge board outside that “ Delhi Apka Swagat Karti hai” …….

Visiting to other festivals, Gaining experience, meeting people and discussing films always makes me feel good and deep Sleep in the night is guaranteed.

I was firm on my feeling that yes I too will be having my own film festival one day , in the beginning me and few of my friends started a Club where we used to showcase few films in our own circle , someone bringing new DVDs and we enjoying together , discussing and having a small party once in a month .

In last five years I spent hell of money in transportation, meetings and other expenditures if I could have saved it I would have been a owner of a Benz Though running in a circle of corporate for a Sponsorships was the toughest job its corruption everywhere .

Finally we got a Venue confirmed in one of the premier cultural center in central Delhi Where we did our first festival , we all organizers were happy to see house full but once again after totally bankrupting and living on loans it was impossible at that time to stand again but hopes never falls down .

From year 2006 I started working as a Volunteer in a International Film Festival worked for around 3 years spending my own money , and bankrupting day by day but my passion for a film festival was driving me each day .

I learnt 100 ups and 1000 downs during this period , commitments , no commitments but works was the first priority and learned a golden rule that creativity dies in a non creative group .

Few Friends were helping maybe they thought if the jackpot hits it will be joy on 360 degree which anyhow did not worked out . though after all this I thought of starting a New Festival but then my Left side of Brain Started working .

Got this quote on facebook written by someone which I totally believe in "ur not a loser or failure until u give up hope of trying to do it right d next time."

Now I am working as a Scriptwriter, and yes I got work too and good work but my passion for working in a Film Festival is still their , I am looking for a like minded festival or group to work . I am Interested in working in Regional Film Markets towards the Quality and International Content after all we are rich in content from last 5000 years and that too coming from all regional dimensions of the country .

Bankrupting words is repeated many times because that’s the film festivals are all about . though it hurts sometime when I stand alone on my rooftop but I know I will see a ray of hope again .

In my next article I will share my experience on Organizing a International Film Festival, and share my notes on Creative , communication and Planning of Film Festival

Scope of Film Festivals in India

Scope of Film Festival in India
Rahul Deveshwar

Indian Cinema embrace a golden history of more than 100 Years from A Dancing Scene by Hiralal Sen in 1898 till The Last Lear by Rituparno Ghosh in 2008. A country of more than 100 Million Population where Cinema Influences each individual in some way or the other

Seeta (1934) by Debaki Bose was the first Indian Film Screened in Venice Film Festival and won Honorary Diploma, after that Neecha Nagar in 1946 by Chetan Anand bagged Palm d’Ore at Cannes Film Festival.

During Last 80 years many Indian films marked history in Word Cinema and International Film Festivals, Though Indian Never came up with an International Film Festival. Directorate of Film Festival (Government of India) organizes a Film Festival which is surrounded by many controversies year by year and many other film Festivals are unable to bring latest acclaimed international cinema.

Indian Cinema contributes more than 70% in asia pacific film market with total share of approx 11 billion USD every year, whereas in India we are still striving for ground to grow. Indian Cinema is like a flower which has Bengali, Assumes, Manipuri, Tamil, Kannada, Malyali, Marathi, Gujrati, Purvanchali, Punjabi and Kashmiri cinema as its petals and Bollywood of course as the nucleus.

Film Festival is emerging trend in PAN-Asian Region , many Regional, National and International Film Festivals are coming up every year. Film Festivals in West are the part of corporate business.

There is huge scope of Film Festival in Indian Cine biz and Special attention must be given to film Market . We must not imitate Western Film Marketing idea and develop film Markets according to our business models