With The Elephant Whisperers and Period: End of Sentence, Guneet Monga has two Oscar winning productions to her name. In a recent chat with us, the filmmaker reveals what it takes for an Indian film to succeed at the Academy awards.

“It’s important to select films with US distribution,” she reveals, adding, “The top 10 distributors will handle distribution to their theatres, manage press and leverage their relationship with the media. It’s important to work with the people who have the know-how since they have been doing this for the last 70 years.”

Guneet recently adapted Gyaarah Gyaarah from the Korean series Signal.  For her last film Kill, she brought in Se-yeong Oh, the fight choreographer from South Korean director Bong Joon Ho’s Snowpiercer. Given her experience and insight into how Korean films work, what does she believe Indian dramas and films can learn to achieve a similar breakthrough?

She says, “I’m a huge fan of Korean cinema, whether it’s their series or films, there’s so much innovation. I don’t think India lacks talent. We have the talent and the know-how. It’s just a matter of time and consistency. I think that we need to open up our international channels. Korean cinema travels through festivals, engaging in conversations with buyers. Kill was able to do that, to the point where we sold a remake to the John Wick team.”

She adds, “So, there are two key aspects: first, the story you’re telling, and second, the business of the film – how far can you take it? Did you open it at Cannes, and from there, did you have a conversation about worldwide distribution? That kind of innovation in the business needs to happen at scale.”

Every year, when the Academy Awards are announced, the question is: when will Indian films secure their place at the Oscars? So, what does India need to do to see more of its films recognized at the Oscars?

Guneet shares, “I’ve been trying to articulate and explain for so many years that you have to get into that country’s distribution. Jab hum log jo wahan ja kar campaign karte hain, at that time, we have like 40 or 30 days. In 30 days, you can’t learn the market and ace it, right? It’s basically American awards, so you have to work with American distributors. It’s the core of it.”

She adds, “Lagaan got nominated (for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards) because Sony Pictures Classics did the campaign with Aamir. And The Lunchbox would have been nominated agar India select karta, the film would have gone far. And if we do good campaigns, hum paanch saal mein nominate bhi ho jayenge, jeet bhi jayenge.” But as of now, we don’t do good campaigns.”

At Cannes this year, it was announced that Guneet will head the initiative WIF: India, part of the global WIFTI (Women In Film & Television International). Talking about it, she says, “I’m learning from the chapters around the world. I’m very invested in women in mid-career because they take breaks due to pregnancy, shaadi, and there’s always a bit of a career break. Then they find it very hard to come back – to be able to make a film, to get back into the circuit of things. So, a large part of my conversation is about building labs for mid-career women. To make their careers so shiny that producers will want to reach out to them and say, ‘Oh, aap ne ye wala programme kiya hai, so we want you to make a film for us.”