The highly anticipated selection for the WAVES Film Bazaar Co-Production Market (CPM) 2025 was officially unveiled this week, confirming Goa as the central meeting point for global independent cinema this November. Set to run from November 20 to 24, 2025, at the Marriott Resort, the 19th edition of the Bazaar will present a robust slate designed to foster international financing and collaboration.

According to the official press release issued today, the Co-Production Market features a remarkably diverse collection of 22 feature films and 5 documentary projects sourced from eight countries, including India, France, the UK, Canada, the USA, Russia, the Philippines, and Singapore. The projects collectively boast stories across an astonishing 19 languages, underscoring the market’s focus on deep linguistic and cultural representation, ranging from major tongues like Hindi, English, and Malayalam to regional languages such as Manipuri, Tangkhul, Haryanvi, Ladakhi, and Odia.

The lineup represents a thoughtful cross-section of Indian and international talent, showcasing both emerging voices and established figures. The market will see participation from acclaimed producers and directors such as Kiran Rao, Vikramaditya Motwane, Shakun Batra, Devashish Makhija, Ira Dubey, Shaunak Sen, and BAFTA award-winning Director Ben Crichton. These filmmakers will have the crucial opportunity to pitch their projects to a curated audience of international and Indian financiers, distributors, festival programmers, and sales agents during the signature Open Pitch session, aiming to secure the final pieces of their production puzzle.

In terms of collaborations, the WAVES Film Bazaar is expanding its reach through a partnership with the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), which includes a project cross-exchange initiative featuring the project ‘Gloria.’ Furthermore, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) will highlight three compelling projects—’Shamed,’ ‘Smash,’ and ‘Tiger in the Lion Den’under its dedicated Handpicked Focused Projects section. The inclusion of five documentaries this year, covering genres from Arts, Music, and Culture to Environment and Gender/Sexuality, marks a significant addition to the market’s scope.

The feature selections themselves promise engaging narratives that blend sharp social commentary with compelling personal drama. Noteworthy among the selections is Shakun Batra’s Jouska Films-backed project, Kanda (No Onions), which follows a pregnant daughter-in-law in a devout Gujarati family whose craving for forbidden foods awakens a primal side, threatening the household’s order. Meanwhile, Devashish Makhija is producing What Remains Unsaid, a Hindi-Haryanvi film about a journalist who returns to her ancestral Haryana village to investigate an honour killing, forcing her to confront her own fractured past.

The political and social narratives continue with Aranya Sahay’s Mayapuri (City of Illusions), about a young mechanic who becomes the victim of a mislabeled nuclear device mistakenly auctioned in Delhi’s scrapyard, leading his partner to fight against corruption for justice. On a lighter note, Stenzin Tankong’s Ladakhi project, Kakthet (Idiot), focuses on a mischievous class 10 student whose passing is essential for the survival of his government school, presenting a challenge for his teachers. Finally, Academy Award-nominated producer Shaunak Sen is backing Tyres will be Deflated, a dark comedy about a conflict-averse Malayali professor in Delhi who spirals into absurdity and destruction over a bitter parking dispute with a powerful neighbour.

With its blend of veteran expertise, global project scope, and sharp focus on diverse, authentic storytelling, the WAVES Film Bazaar 2025 Co-Production Market is poised to be a foundational event for the next wave of independent global cinema.