The second edition of Film Conclave, co-produced by EPG and ReelN as part of India Week 2025, concluded on Monday with resounding success — reaffirming its role as a vital bridge between the UK and India’s film industries. Hosted at London’s Skyline Tower Suites by Blue Orchid Hotels, the day-long event evolved into a dynamic hub for financing, networking and international co-production.
Building on the momentum of its acclaimed inaugural edition, Film Conclave 2025 introduced its first official UK-India Co-Production Market, presenting over 17 curated projects spanning documentaries and narrative features across diverse stages and budgets. The selected slate reflected a wave of courageous, cross-border storytelling — with filmmakers from six countries all taking part.
Representing their films were visionary storytellers including: Indrani Ray (Sense and Serendipity), Prataya Saha (The Letter), Rashel Shah-Kapoor (The Doctor & His Daughter), Nikhil Pherwani & Jitin Hingorani (Ocean Of Dreams), Emile Solanki (The Indian Titanic), Ishan Bhattacharjee & Utkarsh Topiwala (Parade of Ghosts), Raghav Preetha (The Same Moon That Shone That Night), Neeraj Churi (Indian Muscle – The Joe Solomon Story) and Zak Mir (Oxford Revisited), among others.
Throughout the day, industry leaders, creatives, investors and programmers gathered for curated meetings and three standout panel sessions. Each panel unpacked the shifting dynamics of coproduction and exhibition between the UK and India — with special attention given to streaming, language barriers, policy incentives, and the global appetite for Indian stories.
The event’s highlights included two compelling In Conversation sessions:
- Gurinder Chadha OBE, the trailblazing filmmaker behind Bend It Like Beckham, spoke candidly with Duncan Carson (Independent Cinema Office) about diasporic storytelling, creative risks, and gave attendees a rare preview of her upcoming work.
- Mukesh Chhabra, Hindi cinema’s leading casting director (Dil Bechara), reflected on his career and India’s evolving acting ecosystem in a spirited dialogue with entertainment journalist Anuj Radia (Filme Shilmy).
The day culminated in an evening networking reception, welcoming more than 200 key guests from platforms such as Netflix, BBC and ITV, as well as global creatives and media figures. Notable attendees included: Taha Shah Badussha, Richie Mehta, Purab Kohli, Adi Chugh, Shiva Raichandani, Anila Dhami, Vaibhav Anand, Bhasker Patel, Archana Kumar, Kaniz Ali, The Twilight Players, Shobu Kapoor, and Kulvinder Ghir, among others — reinforcing the event’s growing profile on the global film calendar.
“Filmmakers from as far afield as Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, the US and of course the UK and India gathered at the Film Conclave. To have such a wide diversity for the first edition shows what an appetite there is to connect film makers with an investor ecosystem in London. The feedback we’ve received for creating what will be an annual UK-India coproduction marketplace has been outstanding,” said Pratik Dattani, Managing Director of EPG.
The event was additionally supported by Blue Orchid Hotels and the UK screen sector trade body for independent production and distribution companies PACT, as well as Paramount Consulting, Lyca Radio, Lotus Visual Productions.
“Thank you to Pratik Dattani and all the EPG team, all our event partners. This year’s Film Conclave was a huge success and an opportunity to break barriers and access connections to help the film sector with a particular focus on India. We will be back with a bigger, better programme next year,” says Aman Dhillon, Founding Director of ReelN.
From galvanising international partnerships to championing underrepresented voices, Film Conclave 2025 underscored how strategic cultural collaboration can become a force for global cinematic innovation. The initiative is poised to expand further in 2026, as the UK and India deepen ties across commerce, culture, and creativity.
To be involved in Film Conclave 2026 through sponsorship opportunities, get in touch with us here.
