In keeping with the mandate of promoting the development of the Cinemas of India, the National Film Development Corporation Of India (NFDC) in partnership with Binger Filmlab, Netherlands, and the Venice International Film Festival, Italy, conducts the Film Bazaar Screenwriters' Lab.

The Screenwriters' Lab is a two-part program designed to prepare screenwriters with original Indian stories for working with the international filmmaking market. It aims at improving a completed screenplay and to increase the international marketability of the same.

The workshop gives an opportunity to independent screenwriters to develop their skill under the guidance of a variety of industry experts from across the globe. Through one-on-one sessions with their Mentors, the Screenwriter Fellows are advised on methods and techniques required to improve their scripts and methods to pitch the same in the international domain.

The 1st workshop sessions were conducted during Venice International Film Festival, Italy in September 2011. The 2nd working sessions were held immediately prior to, and during Film Bazaar Goa, India in November 2011 where Fellows were prepared for the market with further creative consultation and then apply their coaching within the Film Bazaar itself as they present & pitch their revised screenplays to local and international producers, distributors, sales agents and financiers.

Projects at the lab this year included –

Sebastian Wants to Remember by Vasant Nath
Dabba by Ritesh Batra
Dear Mira by Deepti Datt
Dum Laga Ke Haishya by Sharat Katariya
Girls by Megha Ramaswamy
Toxic City by Aliya Curmally

Marten Rabarts – Artistic Director, Binger Filmlab on the Screenwriters’ Lab at FB 2011 (Screenwritrs' Lab Advisor) – "2011 Film Bazaar script lab saw the launch of strong new partnerships as the September writer’s lab was hosted by the Venice Film Festival and supported by Cinecitta Luce, as part of their ongoing commitment to Indian Cinema. The 4th year of the Binger Filmlab’s partnership with Film Bazaar and the NFDC has been marked by the addition of Indian writer Urmi Juvekar to our team of script advisors. We share the challenge with the talented filmmakers selected for the 2011 script lab to deliver diverse and original projects to the Film Bazaar co-production market and to the national and international film industry."

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Aliya Curmally – Selected screenwriter at the FB Screenwriters’ Lab shares her experience – "The lab was terrific. Can't recommend it more for any writer. Having so much time and expertise dedicated to your screenplay by the Binger advisers is a true luxury for any writer and a true asset for any director/producer looking to enrich their feature film's storytelling. The trade advice from distinguished producers such as Cedomir (Cedomir Kolar, renown Producer, No Man’s Land) and global industry professionals like Bianca was also a great reality check in terms of what opportunities are available at film markets and how your own project measures up.  I thought the market was a really vibrant and interesting one, globally speaking. It was a very stimulating group of people, and I will certainly return for the next edition. The Incredible India partnership, the Screen Dailies, the Q Lab theaters, and overall hospitality was top-notch. Kudos to the entire team!"

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