This year’s WAVES Film Bazaar, part of the International Film Festival of India, introduced two new honors aimed at empowering filmmakers with vital resources. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network City of Film Award for Best Co-Production Market Project and the Matchbox Gap Award for Best Film Bazaar Recommends Project are designed to recognize and support outstanding film initiatives through unique co-production and post-production opportunities.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network City of Film Award
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) leads the introduction of the UNESCO Creative City of Film Best Co-Production Market Project Award, in partnership with Vault.rent/Costume Peti and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Presented by Chanda Jadhav (Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Special, BMC) and Vault.rent/Costume Peti’s founder Saurabh Kabra, the award celebrates projects with exceptional creative vision that pledge at least 75% of filming in Mumbai.
In addition to the recognition, the selected project secures free access to Mumbai’s diverse locations and full support from Vault.rent/Costume Peti’s props, costumes, and art assets catalog. This initiative also advances sustainable production, aligning with Vault.rent/Costume Peti and BMC’s Green Asset Management principles—championing the recycling and re-use of production materials at every stage.
Bhushan Gagrani, Municipal Commissioner, remarked, ‘Mumbai’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film brings both pride and responsibility. By collaborating with NFDC’s Waves Film Bazaar, we are strengthening our resolve to foster talent and creative enterprise, building Mumbai’s reputation as a hub of cinematic innovation. BMC is dedicated to cultivating a forward-thinking ecosystem that supports filmmakers and drives cultural and economic advancement through cinema.’
Echoing this sentiment, Saurabh Kabra said, “We are committed to helping independent creators access cost-effective, sustainable resources. By granting filmmakers access to recycled props, costumes, and furniture from previous productions, we empower them to efficiently repurpose assets and manage budgets, enhancing both creativity and sustainability.”
Matchbox Gap Award
The Matchbox Gap Award focuses on facilitating the completion of projects at the Film Bazaar Recommends stage. Winners receive soft financing from INR 15 to 20 lakh (about $16,755-$22,335) to aid in post-production, as well as one-on-one guidance from Mumbai’s Matchbox Shots LLP.
To qualify, projects must be fully shot and accompanied by a rough cut and basic sound design. A jury made up of NFDC and Matchbox Shots representatives will determine the recipient, with noted filmmaker Sriram Raghavan serving as presenter during the festival’s closing ceremony.
Prakash Magdum, NFDC’s managing director, commented, “NFDC is dedicated to supporting filmmakers at pivotal moments. The Matchbox Gap Award exemplifies our focus on elevating projects that have the potential to connect with audiences around the globe.”
Sanjay Routray, producer and partner at Matchbox Shots, added, “Supporting filmmakers through the demanding post-production stage aligns with our mission to encourage innovative storytelling. We are honored to extend our mentorship and financial backing to those who strive to realize compelling cinematic visions.”
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