Indian film producers explore creative collaborations in Israel

Jerusalem: A delegation of prominent Indian film producers held extensive discussions with various stakeholders in the Israeli entertainment industry, seeking collaborative projects and possibilities of utilising each other's strengths in various aspects of the creative space.

The five-member delegation, comprising of Nitin Tej Ahuja, Chair of the Producers Guild of India (PGI); Rahul Mittra, film producer, actor, and founder of Rahul Mittra Films and Brandsmith Motion Pictures; Tushar Dhingra, CEO and co-founder of Dhishoom Cinemas; Navin Daniel Issac, a VFX expert renowned for his work on RRR; and Jiggar Dhingra, project manager in India’s entertainment industry, spent six days in Israel this month amid war in West Asia.

Defying travel warnings, the delegation travelled across the country learning about its entertainment industry, exploring varied landscapes and familiarising with local culture and history.

“Israel and India share deep cultural & historical similarities and Israeli content is being loved in India & across the world. Cinema has a remarkable potential to engage and with the Indian film industry poised to captivate the world, we are constantly on the lookout for new locations & fresh stories," Mittra told PTI.

"I am happy to be visiting Israel and keenly exploring synergies & partnership in film co-production and other areas pertaining to branding and the arts,” he said.

The visit was made possible with the support and funding of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, together with the Israeli consulate in Mumbai and the embassy in New Delhi, "showcasing the resilience of cultural diplomacy under difficult circumstances," an Israeli official said.

A conference was also organised by the Israeli Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs where the delegation engaged with leading Israeli production companies to foster collaboration on joint projects.

Garika Tejeswar, a senior diplomat at the Indian embassy in Israel, also participated in a session and highlighted the benefits of Israeli-Indian collaborations, including possibilities of availing incentives extended by the Indian government, wide ranging shooting options provided by stunning locations across the country, a readily available ecosystem, and successful co-productions.

In his presentation, Israeli producer Elad Peleg focussed on the country's diverse filming locations, emphasising its compact geography that offers varied landscapes ranging from Mount Hermon’s snowy peaks to the southern desert—all within a short travel distance.

The Indian delegation met with dozens of Israeli production companies, film funds, and broadcasters to explore partnerships.

They also met "Fauda" star Tsahi Halevi, who is set to feature in a major Israeli-Indian co-production currently in development.

Tsahi had also played a key role in Bollywood film "Akelli", starring Nushrratt Bharuccha.

Israel also showcased its technological expertise in the creative industry with the delegation visiting The Hive, an animation company with a record of Oscar-nominated films, and Lightricks, an AI company based at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, discussing potential partnerships.

Traveling to the north of Israel, the delegation met Yona Yahav, the Mayor of Haifa, visited the Haifa Historical Society, where they watched a presentation on the "Hero of Haifa", Major Thakur Dalpat Singh, and later visited the Indian WW1 cemetery of Indian soldiers who died during World War I in the region.

The coastal city of Haifa was liberated by Indian soldiers during WWI from the Ottomans in what most war historians consider “the last great cavalry campaign in history”.

Dalpat Singh, popularly known as the Hero of Haifa, died in the battle leading the Jodhpur Lancers who launched the daring cavalry action.

Indian cavalry regiments armed with spears and swords had displayed the highest tradition of valour and cleared the Ottoman forces from the rocky slopes of Mt. Carmel under all odds on September 23, 1918.

"Haifa is pleased to open its doors to the Indian film industry and sees the visit of the delegation members as a great opportunity to promote Haifa as a destination for International filming and to strengthen the cultural ties and friendship between Haifa and India," Yahav said.

The producers also toured southern Israel, including seeing the sites of the massacre at the Nova Peace Music Festival where over 400 young Israelis were murdered in a brutal attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and other affected communities in the attack such as Sderot, Ofakim, and nearby kibbutzim.