The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Toronto have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to engage in mutual co-operation in the fields of film, television, visual effects and gaming.
Toronto Mayor John Tory, Consul General of India in Toronto, Akhilesh Mishra, and FICCI-Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comics Forum Chairman Dr Ashish Kulkarni signed the document on September 9 in Toronto, a release said here today.
"The agreement will help Toronto to access and collaborate with the Indian film industry, the largest producer of films in the world. The agreement will stimulate economic trade and investment in both countries. Toronto's film industry does better each and every year - this will help us continue that trend and keep us on top," Tory said after signing the MoU.
On the occasion, Mishra applauded the initiative taken by both the countries for co-operation in the fields of film, television, visual effects and gaming.
"This is a significant development in the spirit of the India-Canada audio-visual co-production agreement signed in February 2014. I believe the MoU will catalyse co-operation not only between our film industries, but also strengthen ties of culture, tourism and friendship between people of India and Canada," Kulkarni said.
The creative screen industries include location and studio production, post-production, visual effects, animation and interactive/digital media.
Toronto is the first Canadian city to sign an agreement stemming from an audio-visual, co-production treaty established in 2014 between the governments of India and Canada, the release said.
FICCI had taken a 20-member delegation from film, animation and visual effects industry to Toronto earlier this month to promote audio-visual co-production activities between India and Canada post signing of co-production treaty between the two countries.
