Women in Film: Tara Sutaria Previews Her New Indian Project ‘Toxic,’ While Genevieve Nnaji Highlights the Rise of Female Producers in Nollywood at Cannes Studio
Indian actress and singer Tara Sutaria has provided insights into her upcoming period gangster film, Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas. The film is poised for a worldwide release and has garnered attention for its significant budget, estimated between $65 million and $75 million, potentially making it the most expensive Indian film to date.
“It’s very interesting for Indian cinema,” Sutaria stated. “I think there’s so much we have attempted in the film that hasn’t really been done before. It’s set in this beautiful place called Goa and it’s just a time period that we haven’t seen visually in film. I think it’s going to be this beautiful spectacle of so many things.”
Nigerian actress and producer Genevieve Nnaji highlighted the global expansion of Nollywood, expressing optimism regarding the rise of female filmmakers and executives within the industry.
“I’ve seen a lot more female producers and filmmakers come up, which is very inspiring to me,” Nnaji remarked. “The industry is barely forty years old and we’ve achieved so much in such a short time and I just can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. I think we’ve just started and time is still very young and we have a lot more to achieve.”
Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andani, known for her critically acclaimed debut The Mirror Never Lies, spoke about the resurgence of Indonesia’s local box office, which is playing a significant role in transforming the industry.
“This is quite an interesting time for the Indonesian industry,” Andani noted. “Right now I see that Indonesian people love their cinema. They go to the cinema to see their own films and we have higher box office numbers after the pandemic than before.”
Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo, whose inaugural feature film Ben’Imana is screening in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, along with Saudi actress and writer Aixa Kay, joined the discussion surrounding the evolving landscape of cinema in their respective countries.
