Feel overjoyed: Pan Nalin on becoming European Film Academy member

Pan Nalin, whose Gujarati film Chhello Show (Last Film Show) was India’s official entry for Oscars 2023 and also made it to the shortlist, has become a registered member of the European Film Academy (EFA). Pan, who is shooting for his next film in Italy, tells us, “I have been told that I am the first film director of Indian origin to be invited by the European Film Academy. It is a huge honour and I feel overjoyed. Cinema was born in Europe and was followed by many waves and innovations. Italian Neorealism, German Expressionism and French New Wave changed global cinema forever. I feel blessed that what I do in my solitude continues to echo in multitude. I feel grateful and want to thank the EFA.”“We are delighted to officially welcome Pan Nalin as a registered member of the European Film Academy. Together with over 5,400 other long-standing and distinguished members, now he is part of an important community of filmmakers in Europe,” shared Matthijs Wouter Knol (CEO and Director) & Viviane Gajewski of the European Film Academy.What isEuropean Film Academy?The creation of the European Film Academy was the initiative of a group of Europe’s finest filmmakers brought together during the first European Film Awards’ ceremony in November 1988. It was finally founded in 1989 as the European Cinema Society by its first president Ingmar Bergman and 40 filmmakers to advance the interests of the European film industry.‘Excited that I will get to watch the best of European cinema’Pan, who was also invited to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022, is excited about this new role. He says, “I have always tried to make films that are very Indian at heart and this recognition shows that people there have seen my work. I was told by several Academy members that they had watched my films like Chhello Show, Samsara and Angry Indian Goddesses and loved them. I am looking forward to the creative discussions with the members and also feel excited that I will get to watch the best of European cinema.”He adds, “It’s heartening to see that Chhello Showcontinues to get so much love even now. Earlier this year, the film was screened for the royal family of Bhutan. It was also screened in Switzerland for 6,300 school students. Recently, the film was released theatrically in Sao Paolo (Brazil). I can’t reveal much about my next film right now. It’s an English language film and features some known global actors.”‘For filmmakers like me, co-productions are the way ahead’Pan’s films have been co-productions with other countries. Talking about it, he says, “For filmmakers like me, that is the way ahead because it is difficult to sell the kind of films I make in India. The cost of releasing a film in India is very high. I may make a film for ₹1 crore, but I will need ₹10 crore to release it. So, I love collaborating with people who believe in the kind of stories I want to tell. There is no formula to make a good film. I believe that if I am honest towards my craft and find a story that I fall in love with, the audience will love it too.”He adds, “Now, the Indian government has a great scheme in place. If an official co-production (with a country that has a co-production treaty with India) is shot in India, about 30 per cent of the expenses (spent in India) is reimbursed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.”