Waves Film Bazaar Inaugurated; Introduces USD 20,000 Cash Prize for First Time

The 19th edition of the Film Bazaar—rebranded this year as Waves Film Bazaar—was inaugurated on Thursday alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), marking a significant expansion of its industry offerings, including a first-ever cash prize of USD 20,000.

Recognised as one of Asia’s leading film markets, Waves Film Bazaar functions as IFFI’s dedicated industry hub, bringing together filmmakers, financiers, studios, festival programmers and global partners to foster collaborations and support new cinematic voices.

The inauguration ceremony featured a distinguished lineup, including Chief Guest Ms. Jaewon Kim from the Republic of Korea; Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Information & Broadcasting; filmmaker Garth Davis; veteran actor Anupam Kher; Minister of State for I&B L. Murugan; Additional Secretary Prabhat Kumar; Waves Bazaar Advisor Jerome Pilloard; actor Nandamuri Balakrishna; and IFFI Festival Director Shekhar Kapur.

With its new identity and expanded incentives, Waves Film Bazaar aims to strengthen India’s position as a dynamic global hub for film production and collaboration.