Guneet Monga Kapoor led Women in Film India debuts at the Cannes Film Festival

Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor is bringing her trailblazing initiative, Women in Film India (WIF India), to the global stage with its official debut at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. The launch marks a significant milestone for gender equity in Indian cinema, introducing a flagship fellowship to uplift mid-career women producers.

The initiative kicks off with The Women in Film India Fellowship: Cannes Producers Edition, providing select women producers access to the prestigious Producers Network at the Marché du Film. The program is designed to offer mentorship, industry access, and leadership pathways — a concrete step toward addressing the gender imbalance in film production.

“This launch is just the beginning of a long-term commitment to investing in women — not just for today, but for the future of the Indian entertainment industry,” said Guneet Monga Kapoor, Founder of WIF India. “With WIF India, we’re putting real structure behind the idea of equality.”

The inaugural fellowship has been awarded to three distinguished women producers:

Tillotama Shome, an acclaimed actor who recently transitioned to producing with the Bengali feature film Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox).

Rucha Pathak, a seasoned creative producer and studio executive known for landmark films such as Paan Singh Tomar, Neerja, Barfi, and Madgaon Express.

Dimpy Agarwal, an independent producer recognized for socially-driven narratives, co-producer of Baksho Bondi, and involved in critically acclaimed projects like Chashma, Umeed, and Monica O My Darling.

Additionally, Shefali Bhushan, a standout producer from the Marathi film industry, has been awarded an Accreditation Grant. Her film Sthal is being showcased at the Cannes Film Market, further amplifying the presence of Indian women in international cinema.

WIF India is supported by Women In Film Los Angeles (WIF LA), aligning with a global coalition of over 50 chapters across six continents committed to advancing gender equity in the entertainment sector.

Kirsten Schaffer, CEO of Women in Film, praised the partnership: “This fellowship is a key part of the solution to ensuring that women have equal opportunity to create high-quality film and television.”

WIF India is governed by a powerhouse Board of Directors, bringing together leading voices from across India’s media and entertainment ecosystem, including: Siddharth Roy Kapur, Karan Johar, Faye D’Souza, Anupama Chopra, Tahira Kashyap, Gauri Shinde, Nikhil Advani, Jyoti Deshpande, Gayatri Yadav, Aparna Purohit, Varun Grover, Kanika Dhillon, Vani Tripathi, Miriam Joseph, Ekta Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna, and Guneet Monga Kapoor.