Mumbai, March 25 Women in Film India (WIF India) has announced the launch of the Producers Network Scholarship in partnership with the Marché du Film, Cannes Film Festival, and supported by Jio Studios, the media and content arm of Reliance Industries Ltd.
WIF India will select mid-career women producers to participate in the Producers Network Breakfast series at the Marche du Film, scheduled to take place from May 13 to 18 in Cannes.
The scholarship builds on WIF India's Cannes debut last year, when the organization supported three women producers – Rucha Pathak, Tillotama Shome, and Dimpy Agarwal – to participate in the same platform.
This year, with Jio Studios coming on board as a supporting partner, the initiative is being expanded through an open national call.
The Producers Network is among the most sought-after platforms at Cannes, bringing together over 370 producers from around the world each year.
Its curated breakfast meetings and industry sessions offer access to international collaborators, co-producers, financiers, and global market opportunities.
The scholarship is designed for Indian women producers with an established track record who are currently developing a feature film with strong potential for international co-production and circulation.
Jyoti Deshpande, President of Jio Studios, said the partnership reflected the company's belief that representation extended beyond the screen to who gets to build what audiences see.
"This partnership with Women in Film India reflects our commitment to creating access where it matters most. The Producers Network at Cannes is where global film conversations and collaborations begin, and we want to see more Indian women producers in those rooms, building, leading, and taking their stories to the world," she said.
WIF India founder and Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor, who has herself participated in the Producers Network, said the scholarship was about making that access real for women producers who are ready for it.
"The Producers Network has given me some of my most formative learning as a producer – the connections, the perspective, the sense of what's possible on a global scale. I want that for my peers," she said.
To be eligible, applicants must be women producers based in India, hold a valid passport, and have produced or co-produced at least one feature or documentary released theatrically in the past four years. They must also be currently developing a feature-length project and be available to travel to Cannes in May 2026.
Applications will be evaluated on the applicant's professional track record, the strength and originality of their current project, and its potential for international collaboration.
The deadline for applications is April 5.