MUMBAI: Victorian premier Ted Baillieu has announced that his government is supporting an annual Indian film festival in Melbourne that would present the best contemporary Indian cinema to Victorian audiences.

Baillieu announced that Mind Blowing Films has been contracted to deliver the Indian film festival in Melbourne to strengthen screen industry ties between Victoria and India. “The festival will celebrate Indian cinema and create bonds of greater understanding and experience between the communities of Victoria and India,” he Baillieu.

The inaugural Indian Film Festival will take place in mid-2012 and will encompass a dynamic screening programme over ten days, showcasing the depth and diversity of the Indian film industry.

The festival will host prominent Indian filmmakers and screen professionals and provide an interactive programme of master classes, creating opportunities for Victoria as an international screen production location and for Victorian screen practitioners as individuals.

Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business Louise Asher said India is one of the largest film industries in the world and it makes sense to develop initiatives to strengthen ties between our film industries.

“The initiative will also support up to three Victorian companies to develop a feature film, television or digital media project as a joint venture with a production entity based in India,” Asher said.

Here, it may be intersting to note that Vidya Balan has been signed as ambassador for the mid-year film festival in Melbourne.

Baillieu and Asher were speaking at a press meet in Mumbai recently.