The WAVES Film Bazaar, a prominent segment of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), has introduced two new awards aimed at boosting support for filmmakers: the UNESCO Creative Cities Network City of Film Award for the Best Co-Production Market Project and the Matchbox Gap Award for the Best Film Bazaar Recommends Project. These initiatives are designed to foster creativity, sustainable practices, and innovation in filmmaking.
UNESCO Creative City of Film Award
The UNESCO Creative City of Film Award is supported by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in collaboration with Vault/Costume Peti and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). This award targets extraordinary projects from the Co-Production Market that showcase strong creative potential and commit to shooting at least 75% of the film in Mumbai. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Chanda Jadhav, alongside Saurabh Kabra of Vault.rent/Costume Peti, will present the award during the event’s closing ceremony on November 24.
Mumbai, recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, seeks to leverage this award to highlight its diverse locations and robust filmmaking infrastructure. The winning project will receive free access to local filming locations and props, art assets, and costume support from Vault.rent/Costume Peti’s inventory. The initiative aligns with Vault.rent/Costume Peti and BMC’s Green Asset Management mandate, advocating for sustainable practices in the film industry.
Bhushan Gagrani, Municipal Commissioner, stated, “Mumbai stands proudly as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, and this recognition comes with responsibility. Collaboration with Platforms like the NDFC Waves Film Bazaar strengthens our commitment to nurturing talent, accelerating creative entrepreneurship, and positioning Mumbai as a global capital for cinematic innovation.”
The Matchbox Gap Award
The Matchbox Gap Award is designed to support filmmakers during the critical post-production phase, offering soft finance of INR 15-20 lakh ($16,755-22,335). This award targets projects from Film Bazaar Recommends and ensures they receive the necessary post-production services and mentorship from Matchbox Shots LLP, a renowned production house in Mumbai.
Eligibility for this award requires projects to have completed all principal photography and to possess a rough cut and preliminary sound design. A jury comprising NFDC and Matchbox Shots representatives will choose the winner, with acclaimed filmmaker Sriram Raghavan presenting the award at the closing ceremony.
NFDC’s Managing Director Prakash Magdum emphasized, “NFDC remains committed to empowering filmmakers through focused support at crucial stages of production. The Matchbox Gap Award reflects this commitment by aiding exceptional projects in reaching their full potential for global audiences.”
Matchbox Shots partner Sanjay Routray added, “Our vision at Matchbox Shots is to inspire storytelling that pushes boundaries. The post-production phase is critical and challenging, and we are happy to help deserving filmmakers through the Matchbox Gap Award.”
By introducing these two new awards, the WAVES Film Bazaar continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to nurturing innovative filmmaking while promoting sustainable and economic growth within the industry.
