How IMPAA Is Opening Doors for Indian Producers at Cannes

By Pickle May 10, 2026

Abhay Sinha, President of the Indian Motion Picture Producer’s Association (IMPAA) and President of the Film Federation of India, is on a mission to make Cannes accessible to India’s entire filmmaking community.

IMPAA’s Cannes presence at the Film Market has grown dramatically. How did this happen?

We are doing much better than last year. Last time, we had 40 films at our IMPAA booth. This year, it’s over 100. There are many producers whose films don’t reach Cannes through the government support route — IMPAA becomes that bridge. Our stall displays their posters and runs trailers, and the entire world that comes to Cannes sees those films. Last year, we sold 15 films directly from our booth. Our goal this year is to benefit even more producers through the IMPAA platform.

What is driving this rapid rise in participation year after year?

Our entire IMPAA team has to be credited for this success. We don’t use IMPAA funds. Whatever money comes from producers for posters, we use exactly that to run the stall. We focus on building IMPAA’s brand, and producers love it. They feel a sense of achievement — “We’ve made it to Cannes.” That feeling drives participation further.

Many producers go to Cannes and come back empty-handed. What is IMPAA doing to fix that?

There are producers who spend ₹5–6 lakh, travel to Cannes, and return with nothing because they couldn’t navigate the system — many get trapped. IMPAA has implemented a dedicated booth that constantly displays all their posters and trailers, ensuring guaranteed visibility. Beyond that, we provide accreditation to producers who want to attend so they can participate fully and professionally.

How wide is IMPAA’s footprint in the Indian film industry?

IMPAA is for every language — Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, and Bhojpuri; all producers are our members. Regional films come to our stall in large numbers. South industry producers are also heavily represented in our association. At a time when the producer is arguably the last person in this industry to make money, we give them special attention. If a producer profits, they make another film. If they lose, they stop — and that hurts the entire ecosystem.

Beyond Cannes, what are IMPAA’s broader international ambitions this year?

We are planning to participate in Singapore, the US, and Canada this year. We are also returning to the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, where we have participated before. We were at IFFI Goa for the last two years and hosted a party at the Yacht. As FIAPF Vice President, I also attend FIAPF meetings at Cannes, typically where industry representatives from across the world sit together to discuss global and country-specific challenges. Our voice is being heard at an international level now.

What about co-productions? Is India fully leveraging its 18 co-production treaties?

Honestly, India barely uses those treaties. We look forward to some momentum with regard to incentives which are on hold. Our new Secretary of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Chanchal Kumar, has taken charge, and we are in active discussions with him in Delhi to restart this quickly. My view is that once it opens up, it will benefit the entire domestic ecosystem of India.

What is IMPAA’s focus for Cannes this year beyond the stall?

We want to do more than last year — specifically, more meetings with international film professionals. Through our FIAPF platform, we are connecting Indian producers directly with foreign counterparts. We are also strict about protecting producers on set. If an actor is disrupting a shoot or inflating budgets, IMPAA sends a letter immediately — one letter, and the issue is resolved. Producers are the backbone of this industry, and IMPAA exists to fight for them.