Global film, AI partnerships announced at BRICS WAVES Bazaar in Mumbai

A series of international collaborations across film, media and technology were announced at the BRICS WAVES Bazaar 2026, with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) exchanging a Letter of Intent with Brazil's RioFilme, expanding archival cooperation with Russia's Gosfilmofond and industry players unveiling new cross-border projects and partnerships.

The two-day event, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting through NFDC in Mumbai, brought together representatives from 20 BRICS member and partner countries. According to the ministry, more than 900 delegates attended the Bazaar and over 275 curated business-to-business meetings were held involving producers, studios, broadcasters, film commissions, AVGC stakeholders, government representatives, investors, technology companies and creative enterprises.

Among the key announcements, NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum and Daniel Celli, Head of the Rio Film Commission, exchanged a Letter of Intent to strengthen audiovisual collaboration between NFDC and RioFilme and facilitate Brazilian participation at WAVES 2027.

NFDC and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) also announced their ongoing collaboration with Russia's Gosfilmofond, with the two FIAF member archives exploring opportunities to formalise archival cooperation.

Representatives from South Africa, Russia, Thailand and Kazakhstan announced the proposed Global South Film Festival 2027 to strengthen cultural and cinematic collaboration. The Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI) and the Cinema Department under Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also announced a Record of Meeting to deepen film cooperation and work towards a formal bilateral agreement.

Other announcements included an MoU between the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and Graphiti Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. covering industry partnerships, content creation, academic programmes, innovation, monetisation and talent development. Brazil-based media platform The South Global News announced an initiative focused on communication, media collaboration and cultural exchange across BRICS countries and the Global South.

The Bazaar also saw the announcement of the India-Portugal feature film Portuguese Man 'O War', the India-Russia co-production KOROVA, and an international historical film on Tomáš Baťa involving collaborators from India, the Czech Republic, China, South Africa and the UAE.

South Korea's nCORE Inc. and UAE-based VisionX announced the launch of Calivision AI Studio in India for AI-first cinematic and immersive storytelling. Industry leaders also unveiled the BRICS Independent Producers Alliance (BIPA), envisaged as a platform connecting producers across BRICS nations through collaboration, investment, education and innovation.

KLIP unveiled its upcoming premium micro-drama slate, while ETV revealed the poster of its upcoming Indian anime television series. Vaibhavi Studios announced its anime feature film TRIO. The Assam AVGC-XR Development Association signed strategic MoUs with the Game Developers Association of India, the Media & Entertainment Association of India and the Indian Comics Association, while the Indian Comics Association and MEAI also signed an agreement to strengthen international collaboration and intellectual property distribution.

Speaking about the outcomes of the Bazaar, NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum said: "BRICS WAVES Bazaar has showcased the immense potential of creative collaboration among BRICS nations and partner countries. The partnerships and conversations initiated here mark the beginning of stronger co-productions, business collaborations and creative exchange. Through WAVES, India remains committed to building lasting bridges that strengthen the global creative economy."