As part of an unprecedented initiative to identify and cultivate the future of Indian cinema, The Indian Express Group and Screen today launched the Screen Academy, a not-for-profit organization designed to identify and develop the most promising filmmaking talent from across the country. With firm vision and sound industry support, the Academy shall award annual postgraduate fellowships to outstanding students from India’s premier film schools who cannot afford formal study in films.

The project is endorsed by a few of the most renowned names from world and Indian cinema, who have Oscar and Cannes awards to their credit, such as Guneet Monga, Payal Kapadia, and Resul Pookutty. There is also the veteran scriptwriter and film academician Anjum Rajabali, who brings his credibility and dedication to perfection in filmmaking to the venture.

With the philanthropic support of Abhishek Lodha and the Lodha Foundation, the Academy is dedicated to giving full financial support to students from highly reputed film schools such as the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, and Whistling Woods International (WWI), Mumbai. The project aims to cover a broader network of institutions throughout the country in the years to come.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the launch of the Academy, placing special emphasis on the pertinence of the initiative given the strong connection of Mumbai with the film industry. “I am excited to hear about the launch of this not-for-profit Screen Academy by The Indian Express Group. The film industry is closely associated with Mumbai, and this project will contribute immensely towards nurturing new talent,” he stated.

Anant Goenka, Managing Director of The Indian Express Group, the driving force behind this endeavour, said that the Screen Academy was a pioneering move towards institutionalizing excellence in India’s creative ecosystem. “We are not establishing a fellowship; we are building an ecosystem to promote diversity, excellence, and access. By connecting finance to mentorship and industry experience, we hope that we can tap into the best potential of our next generation of storytellers,” Goenka added.

The mood was echoed by Abhishek Lodha, who sees the Academy as part of India becoming a superpower in creative and cultural output. “Creative arts and films are the core of India’s soft power. The industry needs to be nurtured if India is to be a developed nation in 2047,” he said, echoing the mission of the Lodha Foundation.

The Academy is not only putting money into education. It will also provide a strong industry mentorship program with masterclasses, internships, and direct interaction with leading film professionals and studios. This linkage of academia to the industry is to equip fellows with an unparalleled learning experience and exposure, so they are well prepared with the skills and exposure to excel in a high-stakes creative field.

The heads of the collaborating institutions complimented the fellowship for timeliness. FTII Director Dhiraj Singh observed the fame of Screen in cinema journalism and was sure that the collaboration would immensely help both the students and the film industry. Samiran Dutta, In-Charge Director of SRFTI, stressed the need for economic assistance to students from lesser known regions of India who possess new and fresh stories but are short on educational expenditure. Meghna Ghai Puri, President of WWI, also greeted the move as a “partnership based on shared values — excellence, inclusivity, and an enduring commitment to grooming the narrators of tomorrow.”

Anjum Rajabali, fellow chairperson panel, stressed how much of a difference the endeavor would make in elevating the level of writing and filmmaking across all platforms. “This beautifully munificent gesture gives much-needed relief to new creators, and the entire entertainment business — film through OTT — will gain from their work,” he stated.

Some of these renowned members of the Screen Academy are Subhash Ghai, Ronnie Screwvala, Resul Pookutty, Payal Kapadia, and Guneet Monga, among a host of others to be announced in the near future on the official website of the Screen Academy. They will be mentoring the fellows and charting out their careers as well.

Apart from that, the Screen Academy will also be hosting the renowned Screen Awards, continuing its mission of honoring artistic excellence, technical excellence, and cultural contributions. The awards will be decided by Academy members to uphold credibility and genuineness of the process. For upholding highest conceivable standards, an exclusive Resident Critics Panel has also been established, comprising of prominent voices such as Dr. Priya Jaikumar of the University of Southern California, Priyanka Sinha Jha, Shubra Gupta, Nikhil Taneja, and Anjum Rajabali.

India makes a major step towards building its creative capital and creating a world-class forum for film education, mentorship, and award with the launch of Screen Academy. For further details and information regarding application, prospective filmmakers can log on to www.screenacademy.org.