Decoding the Global Film Festival Circuit
Join Deepti D’Cunha, Mumbai-based film programmer, for a Cininfo webinar on how films travel through the global festival ecosystem and reach international audiences.
With over 15 years championing independent Indian and South Asian cinema, Deepti works closely with filmmakers and festivals worldwide. She is currently a Consultant with the Fondazione Prada Film Fund and served as Artistic Director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival (2023–24). For over a decade, she has curated NFDC Film Bazaar’s Viewing Room and Work-in-Progress Lab, guiding projects toward major international premieres. As a South Asia consultant and selector, she collaborates with leading festivals including Venice, Locarno, Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and Red Sea.
In this session, Deepti offers a programmer’s perspective on:
- Navigating the global festival landscape, key tiers, and markets
- Crafting a festival strategy that fits your film and its goals
- Understanding selection dynamics and what programmers respond to
- Maximising festival impact through networking, PR, and distribution
A practical, insight-led session for filmmakers looking to place their work thoughtfully on the international stage.
Event details:
Date: 18th Jan 2026
Time: 6pm IST
Venue: Zoom (Live on Cininfo)
Speaker: Deepti DCunha
Designation: Film Programmer
Deepti DCunha is a Mumbai-based Film Programmer specialising in Contemporary Indian & South Asian Cinema. She is currently a Consultant with Fondazione Prada Film Fund. She has been the Artistic Director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2023-24. She sources films and is sole features curator and programmer for ‘Viewing Room’ section and the ‘Work-in-Progress Lab’ for India’s largest Film Market, NFDC Film Bazaar from 2011-2022. She has been working on Indian and International Film Festivals for the past fifteen years. Deepti is the South Asia Consultant to Artistic Director, Marco Mueller, since 2011, for Venice film festival, Rome film festival, and several film festivals in China including Pingyao International Film Festival (PYIFF) for five years. She has been a Consultant for Red Sea Film Festival in 2025. From 2018-21, she has been the South Asia Correspondent Director’s Fortnight, Cannes. She has been in the Selection Committee of Locarno Open Doors from 2016-20, choosing projects and participants for the Co-production Hub and Producers Lab from South Asia, South East Asia and Mongolia. She has also been a mentor at SEAPITCH (Thailand) in 2021. Her earlier assignments include programming for the Indian Selection at Jio MAMI Mumbai International Film Festival with Star from 2015-2019, Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF), the International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) and Osian’s Cinefan film festival and a reader for Doha Film Institute. She is deeply committed towards independent Indian and South Asian cinema; a passion that keeps her driven to scout for new films and fresh talent from all across the country and region.
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