The international sales arm of India's iDream Production- iDream Independent Pictures (IIP)-is lining upfourmarket premieres for Cannes 2007: Americanising Shelley, Bombil And Beatrice, Telling Lies and Karma Confessions And Holi.
In addition the company's sales slate also includes My Own Sky (Apna Aasman), Cape Karma and On Life & Enlightment-Principles of Buddhism.
The company, previously owned byShripal Morakhia, is attending Cannes following a management buyout. Between them, Ashish Bhatnagar and Rohit Sharma now own a 50% stake in iDream Production. In turn, iDream Production owns a 75% stake inIIP with UK-based Crossover Capitol holding the remaining 25%.
Focused on independent films, IIPconsiders itself India's first sales agency for films on an international platform and has offices in London and Mumbai. The company's strategy isto growthe market for Indian films in non-traditional markets and expand the market for independent films beyond cinema halls to video, television and new media platforms.
'We want to repackage Indian films, remove the songs and reduce the running time to make them more viable. We dubbed our Hindi film Naina (produced by iDream Production) in Spanish and besides Spain were able to release it in various Latin American countries,' said Sharma, who heads IIP. Among the new territories they are exploring are Germany, Australia, Indonesia, Egypt and Thailand.
After distributing films like Monsoon Wedding, Bend It Like Beckham and Bollywood/Hollywood successfully in India, iDream Production acquired, produced and distributed some 12 films ofvarious genres. 'The producers of some of the films we distributed in India approached us to sell other territories for their films too. This helped us to establish contacts and confidence and today the market is right for an Indian sales agent,' says Bhatnagar.
Also, iDream Production recently co-produced British film The Sick House.
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