Northern Ireland woos India

by Naman Ramachandran

18/09/2012 - Principal photography is underway in Belfast for David, the first Indian co-production to film in Northern Ireland. Directed by Bejoy Nambiar (Shaitan) and produced by Swapna David, the film tells three stories set in different decades. The first part, being shot in black and white, follows an Indian Muslim in Belfast who faces a moral dilemma when he discovers a secret in his mobster mentor’s past.

The shoot is the result of a trip to India in April by Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster. In a collaborative effort between Invest Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen, Indian Production company Getaway Films has received £30,000 funding through the Northern Ireland Screen Fund supported by Invest NI and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. India and the UK have a film co-production treaty in place.

Foster said, “The Company was considering a number of locations for the making of this film so I am delighted that we were able to secure this for Northern Ireland. The value of attracting an industry that has an audience of over a billion people globally cannot be underestimated. Not only will this raise the profile of Northern Ireland as a movie location, but it will also bring in a fresh wave of tourists to Northern Ireland – something that has been proven in other countries that have played host to Indian movies.”

Swapna David said, “I am surprised that Indian films haven’t been here before and am very thrilled that we are the first Indian production here. This is just the beginning. We are looking forward to being back here next spring.”

Bollywood film Ek Tha Tiger was backed by the Irish Film Board and shot in Dublin in 2011.