"we are choosing to focus only on the marketplace."
The third edition of the Film Conclave will return to London later in May 2026, bringing filmmakers, investors and production companies together to strengthen UK-India co-production ties.
Part of the wider India Week programme, the event will take place on May 26 at The Skyline London. The conclave is co-produced by ReelN Ltd and Economic Policy Group.
Now in its third edition, the Film Conclave focuses on connecting filmmakers with funders, investors and production companies developing international projects.
Speaking about the origins of the event, ReelN founding director Aman Dhillon told DESIblitz:
“We started this initiative because we saw a real gap in how Indian-origin filmmakers were able to commercialise their projects and were actively looking for co-production, funding and distribution opportunities in the UK.
“While there are several South Asia-focused film festivals in London, we are choosing to focus only on the marketplace.
“This will be a premier event dedicated to fostering collaborations and financing opportunities for fiction and non-fiction feature projects from India and its diaspora.”
She added that the event aims to connect “private investors, sales agents, post-production houses, and industry professionals offering in-kind services with visionary filmmakers seeking support at various stages of production and post-production”.
This year’s Selected Projects line-up features filmmakers and storytellers from the UK, India, Europe, the US and China.
The slate includes Cockroaches Don’t Drink Whisky by Amar Singh, Clouds Have Bridges Too by Wanphrang Diengdoh and Coming Out… With the Help of a Time Machine from Jitin Hingorani and Naman Gupta.
Other selected projects include Following The Red Thread: The Beautiful Game by Kamaljot Panesar, Jaagar from Priyanshu Painyuli, Oxford Revisited by Zak Mir and S Rafi Ahmad, and Vikraal from Vijaykumar Mirchandani, Naman Gupta and Nicholas Horwood.
The selected slate also includes Secrets of the Delta by Souvid Datta, The Maharajha’s Children from Imtiaz Barolia and Rafael Kapelinski, and 604 by Deepti Datt.
Dhillon said the event has evolved beyond a networking forum into a structured marketplace with growing international reach:
“What began as a conversation-led conclave around UK-India entertainment collaboration has evolved into a structured co-production and financing marketplace connecting filmmakers, investors, distributors and studios across multiple countries.
“By 2026, the market had expanded into its third official UK-India co-production market and attracted projects not only from India and the UK, but also from Germany, the US and other international territories.”
Dhillon added that the event now positions the UK as a “home-away-from-home” for Indian and South Asian cinema, while also benefiting from the wider India Week audience of business leaders, policymakers and investors.
The event will also feature speakers from the film, television and media industries. Confirmed names include Monisha Advani, Anubhav Sinha, Emile Nawagamuwa, Yu-Fai Suen and Priyanshu Painyuli.
Additional speakers include Riffi Khan, Michelle Jenkins, Helena Mackenzie and Aman Dhillon.
Explaining why the conclave matters now, Dhillon said the entertainment industry is entering a period of global change.
She said: “Audiences are increasingly international, streaming platforms are searching for culturally specific but globally relevant stories, and financing models are becoming far more collaborative across borders.
“Events like the Film Conclave bring together storytellers, financiers and industry leaders at the exact point where creative ideas can become viable global projects.”
According to Dhillon, the conclave offers filmmakers access to funding and partnerships, while giving investors and production companies access to emerging talent and international audiences connected to India and the global diaspora.
Pratik Dattani, Managing Director of EPG, said: “Film Conclave sits at the heart of India Week’s wider mission, which is to bring together policymakers, business leaders, creatives and thinkers to better understand the opportunities emerging from India’s rise on the global stage.
“I’m so excited to see such diverse and compelling storytelling in our Selected Projects.
“With speakers spanning film, media, policy and entrepreneurship, this year’s programme reflects the breadth of conversations that define the UK–India relationship today.
“We are excited to see these discussions translate into meaningful collaborations across industries.”
Dhillon also encouraged attendees to approach the event as a long-term relationship-building platform rather than simply a conference:
“The people who gain the most value are usually the ones who come prepared with a focused strategy.”
Discussing her hopes for this year’s edition, Dhillon said: “I hope participants leave this year’s edition feeling both inspired creatively and empowered professionally.
“I hope the Film Conclave reinforces the idea that authentic stories with strong cultural roots can also have global resonance.”
Dhillon added that she hopes participants leave with “meaningful relationships, practical industry insight and tangible opportunities for collaboration”, alongside a stronger sense of connection between the UK, India and the wider international creative sector.
The Film Conclave forms part of India Week 2026, which runs from May 26 to 30 and brings together policymakers, journalists, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders to discuss the evolving relationship between the UK and India.
The wider India Week programme will also feature speakers including Eugene Robinson, Rajdeep Sardesai, Smita Prakash, Suhasini Haider and Kamlesh Singh.
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