New Delhi: National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in partnership with Netflix rolled out a virtual training program for 100 women scriptwriters on the occasion of International Women’s Day. This program is designed for industry professionals, freelance writers, academicians, and final-year students of film schools. NFDC aims to upskill and empower the creative community in India, and create a more gender-inclusive media and entertainment ecosystem through this program.
To be conducted in four batches, the curriculum and course structure have been collaboratively developed by NFDC and Netflix. The virtual training program will help participants understand the concepts and tools of writing, thereby developing their scripts and craft through guided lessons, Q&A sessions on pitches, and industry guest speaker sessions. Participants will successfully complete the program after submitting a script, within 30 days of completion of their training. Each participant will undergo a comprehensive assessment by a joint committee of officials from NFDC and Netflix. Based on the evaluation, shortlisted scripts will have the chance to be selected for NFDC Screenwriting Lab or at the NFDC Film Bazaar.
Shri. Ravinder Bhakar, Managing Director, NFDC was of the view that this program would empower women through training by industry veterans and will give them a platform to showcase their talent. “With the advent of OTT platforms, it is a great contribution by Netflix to have come forward to support the cause of training and development of women professionals.”
The students will get a unique opportunity to train under the course director Munish Bhardwaj – a veteran screenwriter, producer, and director working in the film industry for over 25 years. He has worked predominantly in Bollywood and is known for movies like Moh Maya Money, Ankhon Dekhi and Everything is Fine.