Achievements of world cinema to be promoted in BRICS countries through cooperation between India and TV BRICS

TV BRICS will assist in promoting the achievements of world cinema in the BRICS+ countries in cooperation with the Indian organisation Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF). The agreement on joint activities was signed by the General Secretary of ICAF, Honourary Director of the Chennai International Film Festival Emanadar Thangaraj and CEO of TV BRICS Janna Tolstikova.

The partnership is also aimed at popularising national achievements of cinematography, creating and implementing new information projects.

“We, Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, organisers of Chennai International Film Festival are pleased to collaborate with TV BRICS for promotion of cultural activities including film screening. This will give an opportunity to study and understand the culture and social activities of both the countries. We feel proud of being a collaborator with TV BRICS,” said Emanadar Thangaraj, Secretary General of ICAF.

The non-profit organisation Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF) promotes world feature films among Indian audiences. Founded in 2003, it is based in Chennai (Tamil Nadu). The organisation brings together filmmakers, critics, students from creative universities, and film enthusiasts. ICAF regularly organises screenings of foreign films, retrospectives, masterclasses, discussion clubs, and festivals – the largest of which is the Chennai International Film Festival. It also cooperates with embassies and cultural centres of various countries, including Russia, Brazil, South Africa, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

TV BRICS CEO Janna Tolstikova emphasised that the international media network's mission is to promote humanitarian cooperation between the BRICS member states and partners, with the representation of national cultures and traditions largely taking place through cinema. Today, TV BRICS supports more than 20 international film festivals: it acts as an information partner, organises special screenings of films from the BRICS+ countries, and participates in competitive, business and educational programmes. In India, TV BRICS cooperates with the Innovative Film Festival.

"Today, the TV BRICS video content library includes original films and programmes from international producers in Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Argentina, Venezuela, and other countries. Many of these unique works, with the support of the international media network, were presented outside their countries of origin for the first time. A broad international audience was able to appreciate the work of documentary filmmakers through screenings via our media partners’ platforms and at film festivals. In this way, TV BRICS helps to break down borders, showcasing national identity, culture, the traditions of different peoples, and their perspectives on the world"

Janna Tolstikova CEO of TV BRICS

For example, in 2024, the international media network organised the world television premiere of the documentary "Noqte" about the art of Iranian calligraphy. TV BRICS aired films by TV BRICS' Indian partners: "Towards Bangalore", "Water" and "Point of Reference". In the countries of the Global South, the media network's own documentaries about the mining industry in Russia were shown. Special screenings of TV BRICS films took place at the Innovative Film Festival in India, the Thokoza Film Festival in South Africa, the Street Film Festival in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the 0+ Children's and Family Film Festival, the XXII International Film Debut Festival "Spirit of Fire" and the XVII International Film Festival "Salt of the Earth" (Russia).

Earlier, TV BRICS initiated the first international production in the history of the BRICS association: the documentary "Dostoevsky Intercontinental" was created with the participation of media companies from five countries.

Photo: iStock / Wasan Tita