Indian Film Festival Sets Stage for Kiwi Trade Boom

New Zealand's Indian Film Festival (TIFFNZ) is set to open up trade opportunities for Kiwi food brands in India, organizers say.

The festival, which kicks off on October 23 and will run until October 25, aims to strengthen trade, investment, and cultural connections between the two countries. It's expected to contribute around NZ$10 million annually to the New Zealand economy through tourism, screen production, creative services, and associated commercial activity.

The festival is being positioned as a commercial platform connecting New Zealand exporters with one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets. Michael Daysh, Director of Brand Commercial Partnerships for the festival, said it will give New Zealand brands a unique opportunity to build relationships with Indian consumers, distributors, and commercial partners.

The initiative comes as New Zealand and India begin implementing the recently signed Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to create thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in additional export opportunities. Daysh noted that premium New Zealand food and beverage brands are particularly well placed to benefit from the festival, with products such as wine, kiwifruit, apples, onions, beef, lamb, poultry, citrus, and premium chocolate enjoying growing interest among Indian consumers.