Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore has met Britain's Minister of State for Culture, Communications & Creative Industries Ed Vaizey and other key stakeholders in the international film industry at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival here.The purpose of the meetings was to apprise them about the new initiatives taken by the Indian government in the films sector and the myriad opportunities available for the global film industry in India, read an official statement. During the interaction, Rathore and Vaizey discussed participation of Britain in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), held annually in Goa.Rathore also met Jerome Paillard, executive director of Marche Du Film, Cannes Film Festival, and Cameron Bailey, artistic director of Toronto International Film Festival. During a brief, half-hour interaction, Rathore apprised them about IFFI and sought their engagement and involvement to take it to greater heights in the near future and in league with the other global film festivals.
Rathore also met Carolle Brabant, CEO, Telefilm Canada, and discussed strategies to promote co-production between India and Canada. India has a co-production and promotion agreement with Telefilm Canada. In a meeting with Kevin Clark, executive director, Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), Rathore discussed the inclusion of the recently established Film Facilitation Office (FFO) in India in the AFCI network for the betterment of the Indian film industry. AFCI is a non-profit educational organisation constituting worldwide network of more than 300 commissions spread across six continents.