Film Women (WIF) India has announced six filmmakers to the Toronto Film Festival, selected to be the country’s women-led delegation, following a national competition that attracted over 200 applications in just a week.
The winners are chosen through a rigorous selection process supervised by the International Ju-Election and represent diverse voices from across the Indian film industry. Selected projects and filmmakers are Arshaly Jose (“Dandelion’s Dream”), Deepa Bhatia (“Rabbit Hole”), Katyayani Kumar (“Son of the River”), Madhumita Sundararaman (“Guest House”), Paromita Dhar (‘Ulta’), and Ultai neams (‘Ulta’), and Paromati anand (‘Ulta’).
This initiative, part of the wave of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India, is facilitated by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), marking the first Indian female filmmakers to collectively represent the country’s cinema landscape at TIFF.
The application has been flooded from various film sectors in India, including Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Manipur, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Chandigarh. From the 23 finalized projects, the final six were selected by an international ju apprentice consisting of producers, cultural leaders and industry experts with experience spanning the Academy Award-winning film and global film markets.
The ministry-backed programme is designed to fill the representation gap while creating long-term pathways for Indian female filmmakers to access global collaboration, funding and distribution opportunities. Participants will receive international visibility, mentorship, curated networking and pitching training during the festival.
The delegation will be coordinated with the products of the US creative strategy company Culture, which previously partnered with WIF India for the Cannes Showcase. Continuous mentorship is provided by WIF India, WIF LA, Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor and select judges to ensure the global visibility of Indian female storytellers.
The programme reflects the Indian government’s commitment to promoting women’s leadership in film as part of the broader policy goals on women’s empowerment. Based on WIF India’s debut international presence at the Cannes Film Festival in May, it will establish the organization as a key advocate for women’s representatives of Indian films on the global stage.
