What is the relevance of film festivals in a hyper-digital world?

Aseem Chhabra to moderate session with Deepthi Pendurty; Christina Marouda; Meenakshi Shedde

MUMBAI: The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic forced film festivals around the world to rethink their modus operandi and raised difficult questions about their very existence. The digital realm became their temporary refuge but as they come out of the pandemic and return to a physical domain, they find a very changing landscape, one that is dominated by the overwhelming presence of OTT platforms. How can film festivals, especially smaller ones, reinvent themselves and remain relevant to their communities in this new world of unlimited digital access and choice?

Deepthi Pendurty, festival manager for Dharamshala IFF, Christina Marouda, Chair of the Board and founder of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and Meenakshi Shedde, South Asia Delegate, Berlin International Film Festival, and an independent Mumbai-based film curator will come together to discuss this important topic at a virtual session ‘the relevance of Film Festivals in a hyper-digital world’ on Friday, November 26, 6 p.m. India time, on the sidelines of the EU Film Festival. Well-known film journalist, author, and festival director of the New York Indian Film Festival, Aseem Chhabra will moderate this session.

The session has been organized by the EU Delegation to India in collaboration with the Dharamshala International Film Festival.