WAVES Film Bazaar Marks 20th Edition in Goa

WAVES Film Bazaar, the film market that runs beside the International Film Festival of India, reaches its 20th edition this year. It will be held from 20 to 24 November 2026 at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon in Goa, alongside the 57th IFFI.

Where it came from

The market was started by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in 2007 to support storytelling from South Asia. Over two decades it has grown into an international meeting point where filmmakers, producers, financiers, distributors, sales agents and festival programmers come together. It now runs under the wider WAVES Film Bazaar banner, with the stated aim of connecting South Asian cinema to markets and audiences abroad.

What happens there

• Co-Production Market: selected feature films and documentaries are placed before international producers and financiers.
• NFDC Screenwriters' Lab: a programme for writers at an early stage of their careers.
• Work-in-Progress Lab: filmmakers still editing their projects receive expert feedback.
• Viewing Room, Market Screenings and Producers' Lab: spaces for networking, project development and meeting buyers and distributors.
• Knowledge Series: sessions where industry figures discuss distribution, business models, new trends and cross-border tie-ups.

Country and state pavilions, technology showcases and market stalls complete the layout, offering a view of opportunities across the global audiovisual trade.

Films that came through it

A long list of acclaimed titles passed through the bazaar on their way to release. Among them are Ship of Theseus (2012), Anhe Ghode Da Daan (2011), The Lunchbox (2013), Court (2014), Margarita With A Straw (2014), Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), Thithi (2015), Newton (2017), Manto (2018), Girls Will be Girls (2024), Cactus Pears (2025) and Little Thomas (2026).

The NFDC record

Beyond the market, the corporation has given financial support to more than 300 films in 21 regional languages, and many of these have gone on to win recognition in India and abroad. In marking two decades, the 20th edition sets out to strengthen India's place in the world film economy by building creative partnerships, backing new talent and opening fresh routes for Indian cinema abroad.