The rising urge for food for Australia–India co-productions has spawned a brand new financing entity designed to bridge the 2 markets with structured funding and cultural authenticity.
Southern Sitara, unveiled on the Cannes Film Market, represents the newest effort to capitalize on the bilateral co-production treaty between the two countries, focusing on options within the AUD5-11 million ($3.2-7 million) vary by a hybrid capital mannequin that mixes proprietary funds with co-raised funding.
The enterprise brings collectively funding duo Roshni Pandey and Jagdish Sidhu — who oversee portfolios spanning Southeast Asia, London and Australia — with filmmaker Anupam Sharma, architect of the Australia India Movie Fund. The trio will accomplice with manufacturing home Temple, which operates from Disney Studios Australia in Sydney.
“Australia offers unprecedented assist to display screen professionals,” stated Sharma. “Southern Sitara builds on this to allow genuine cultural storytelling.”
The financing construction addresses acquainted ache factors in cross-border manufacturing, providing improvement funding, manufacturing funding, hole financing and money move loans. Pandey emphasised the de-risking strategy: “We’ve been piloting enterprise fashions to de-risk movie funding, and Australia’s treaties and incentives have helped us remodel the narrative.”
Southern Sitara has assembled backing from established gamers within the Australia-India house, together with Pradnya and Tej Dugal of Jhumka Movies (“Maasa,” “Farewell Amor”), London-based media investor Jacqui Miller-Charlton, Sydney investor Chandru Tolani and angel investor Shallu Kundra.
Distribution is dealt with by first-look offers with Icon Movie for English-language titles and Discussion board Movies for Indian-language releases.
The preliminary slate displays the cultural bridge the entity goals to construct. Tasks embody “The Return,” a thriller from actor-director Anupam Kher shot extensively in Australia, horror movie “Shadows” that blends First Nations and Indian mythologies, and “The Indian Cowboy,” impressed by India’s sole nation music performer Bobby Money, who was found Down Underneath.
Further titles in improvement embody Richard Jameson’s “Bidjara Kumari,” which has acquired backing from Display Australia and Display Queensland, and “Framed,” supported by Display Australia, Display NSW and SBS.
The enterprise has recruited Australian producers Lisa Duff (“Final Cab to Darwin”), Jannine Barnes (“Downriver”), Cathy Rodda (“Bromley – Mild After Darkish”) and Victoria McIntyre Wharfe (“The Flood”) for key inventive roles, alongside “Shark Tank Australia’s” Ben Ulm and First Nations producer Jodie Bell (“Doug the Human”).
Singapore-based Sidhu will deal with finance and compliance whereas Pandey leads technique and investor relations. “Australia’s manufacturing incentives and treaties provide a uniquely de-risked path to international movie funding,” Sidhu famous, “aligning with our deal with compliance and powerful ROI.”
