Polishing for glory

documentaries

As part of the upcoming National Film Development Corporation (NDFC) Film Bazaar, 11 projects under fiction and documentary categories have been shortlisted for the Work In Progress (WIP) Lab. A panel of international film experts will mentor filmmakers, who had sent rough versions of their films, to accomplish the final cut.

Shahana Goswami and Barun Sobti in a still from Tu Hai Mera Sunday

The 11 films were selected from among 159 entries that came in starting mid-August, says Dipti DCunha, curator of WIP Lab. She expects the films to garner global appreciation.

A Stills from ‘I' Pad

In the past, acclaimed Hindi films like Titli, Miss Lovely, BA Pass, Killa and Margarita With A Straw had been selected for the WIP Lab. "Our panelists not only help filmmakers complete the film in the best form, but also help them produce and take them to various international film festivals. I hope this year too we will be able to guide the directors in the best way and make some incredible movies by next year," she says.

A still from 'The Marriage Broker'

The ninth NFDC Film Bazaar will take place from November 20 to 24 in Goa.

Avani Rai, director of documentary film Raghu Rai: An Unframed Portrait, is elated over the "unexpected" selection. "I have been editing the film for three years and it's 70 per cent ready. It is the right time for me to receive ideas and guidance from international film experts. I am expecting my work to achieve international standards. I am glad that my entry has been selected for WIP Lab. I wasn't expecting it," she says.

A still from 'Lipstick Under My Burkha'

Alankrita Shrivastava, director of Lipstick Under My Burkha, echoes her sentiments: "As filmmakers, we tend to work in isolation. What we need is the right input to complete the film in a better way. I am looking forward to some great brainstorming session in Goa."