CANNES: The popularity of Indian cinema seems to be growing by leaps and bounds and the ongoing Cannes film festival is proving this everyday. At the launch of the US and UK chapter of the Indian Independent Film-makers (IIF) worldwide there, another Hollywood beauty expressed her interest in our cinema.Andy Mc Dowell  joined all the film-makers present to show her solidarity with the ideology of IIF. But that’s not all. Another surprise was in store, with renowned singer/song writer and peace activist Nassiri giving the guests a preview of his song on world peace even before its world preview. The revelers joined in and sang along all the Hindi verses of the song.

IIF worldwide is a global alliance of film-makers to promote, support and nurture Indian Independent cinema made by film-makers of Indian origin across the world. Some of IIF Worldwide members include prominent film-makers like Ketan Mehta, Deepa Sahi, Krishna Shah, Sudhir Mishra, Aditya Basu Bhattacharya, Rahul Dholakia, Madhur Bhandarkar and Anurag Kashyap.Encouraged by the immense response, IIF worldwide announced five films to be directed and produced by the members. They are Ketan Mehta’s ‘Colours of Passion’, about the life and times of the famous Indian painter Raja Ravi Verma, Rajan Khosa’s ‘Mother Tongue’ which is a super-natural thriller, Piyush Jha’s ‘Foot Soldier’, Smita Kudva’s ‘Magic Loom Girl’ and Aditya Bhattacharya’s ‘Kala Ghoda.