SINGAPORE – 18 MAY 2004
Key players in the media industry from Singapore and India will gather at the Grand Hyatt, Singapore, this Friday morning to hear stalwarts of the Bollywood and Singapore filmmaking scene speak on the different aspects of the film industry.
The forum "Globalisation of Indian Cinema" is a key highlight of the Singapore International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend. It is expected to draw more than 200 participants, comprising representatives from foreign embassies, terrestrial, cable and satellite broadcasters, filmmakers, film exhibitors, film and TV distributors. The IIFA Forum is co-organised by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) and the IIFA, and sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The half-day forum provides an avenue for Singapore and India media experts to explore, seek and discover business opportunities in the respective areas of film and cinema. Participants will also learn of new incentives offered by the MDA and the STB for local and foreign filmmakers.
The event's Guest-of-Honour, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Lee Boon Yang will also be announcing new initiatives to encourage more film production in Singapore when he opens the forum.
Prominent foreign and local experts speaking in the forum are:
Vir Sanghvi, editor of the Hindustan Times, will moderate a panel discussion that will highlight new avenues to establish Indian cinema on a larger global platform.
"India is a big market and Bollywood films have become one of the mainstay in today's film lexicon. The IIFA Forum is an excellent platform for both the Singaporean and Indian film community to meet and explore ideas and opportunities. We hope to see more Bollywood productions filmed and produced here, thus helping our local industry gain valuable exposure and experience and enhancing Singapore's position as a global media city," said Mr Lim Hock Chuan, the MDA's Chief Executive Officer.
The STB's Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, Mr Lim Neo Chian, said: "Indian movie productions filmed here provide Singapore with invaluable exposure to millions of movie-goers in India and elsewhere. This is undoubtedly a powerful medium which we can employ to showcase Singapore's unique attributes to a worldwide mass audience. We are delighted to be a part of the IIFA Forum, which is not only an important learning platform for us but also allows us to share Singapore's unique appeal with influential players from the Indian film industry."
For media queries, please contact :
Sharanjit Kaur
Corporate and Marketing Communications Manager
Communications Division
Email: sharanjit_kaur@imda.gov.sg
Media Development Authority
Website :
http://www.mda.gov.sg
Delicia Tan
Manager, Media Relations
Singapore Tourism Board
Email: deliciatan@stb.com.sg