Toronto: An official Indian delegation attended the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking the first such visit to Canada in nearly a year.
Led by a Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the delegation represented India at the festival, with an official Bharat Pavilion set up at TIFF’s Industry Centre.
During the visit, the delegation held bilateral meetings with Telefilm Canada, a government agency responsible for promoting, financing, and developing the country’s screen-based industries. They also met with representatives from Ontario Creates, the provincial agency focused on fostering economic development and collaboration within Ontario’s creative industries, including film, music, television, and digital media. Additional meetings were held with Australian officials at the festival.
This was the first formal visit by an Indian delegation since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons on September 18 last year, where he alleged a potential connection between Indian agents and the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. The allegation led to a strain in diplomatic relations, halting public bilateral engagements, with India dismissing Trudeau’s claim as “absurd” and “motivated.”
However, the Indian presence at TIFF faced challenges, as six officials from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) were unable to attend due to either visa denials or delayed processing of travel documents.
Despite these setbacks, TIFF partnered with NFDC to premiere a high-quality digital restoration of Raj Kapoor’s classic film Awara, which was screened on Friday. The film was presented by acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur, who also serves as the director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
