Noida, India: The first official meeting of the Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum (IAFCF) was successfully held at Marwah Studios, Film City, Noida, under the distinguished patronage of Lee Tarlamis, Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region, Australia. The landmark gathering marked the beginning of a new chapter in strengthening cultural, cinematic, educational, and creative ties between India and Australia.
During the meeting, Dr. Sandeep Marwah, President of Marwah Studios and Chancellor of AAFT University, was formally nominated as the Chair of the Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum. The announcement was made by Lee Tarlamis, who expressed his confidence in Dr. Marwah’s vast international experience and decades of contribution to promoting global cultural diplomacy through art, media, education, and cinema.
Speaking on the occasion, Lee Tarlamis said, “The Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum will serve as a vibrant platform for fostering stronger bilateral relations through films, culture, education, tourism, and the creative industries. Dr. Sandeep Marwah’s exceptional leadership and global network make him the ideal person to lead this initiative and take it to greater heights.”
Accepting the responsibility, Dr. Sandeep Marwah expressed his gratitude and stated, “It is a great honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of Chairing the Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum. India and Australia share warm and growing relations, and this forum will work tirelessly to create meaningful collaborations in cinema, media, performing arts, education, literature, tourism, and cultural exchange. Together we will build bridges of friendship, understanding, and creative excellence between our two great nations.”
As a mark of appreciation and friendship, Dr. Sandeep Marwah presented the Life Membership of the International Film and Television Research Centre (IFTRC) to Lee Tarlamis. He also conferred the Membership of the International Film and Television Club (IFTC) upon distinguished delegates from Melbourne, Australia, including Anil Kolanukonda, Chau Kliynh, Abhimanyu Kumar, and Finny Mathew, recognizing their commitment to strengthening Indo-Australian cultural relations.
The members of the Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum participated in an engaging two-hour roundtable discussion that generated numerous innovative ideas and practical proposals for future collaboration. The deliberations focused on film co-productions, student and faculty exchange programmes, cultural festivals, tourism promotion, skill development, business networking, media partnerships, and artistic collaborations between India and Australia.
The meeting concluded on a highly positive note, with all participants reaffirming their commitment to transforming the Indo Australia Film and Cultural Forum into a dynamic platform for enhancing people-to-people connections and promoting mutual understanding through the universal language of art and culture.
