Jio Studios & Guneet Monga Kapoor's Women in Film India Launch Cannes Scholarship for Women Producers
In a significant move to reshape the industry's power dynamics, Jio Studios, the media arm of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, has partnered with Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor's organization, Women in Film India. Their exclusive initiative will fund a scholarship sending mid-career Indian women producers to the prestigious Producers Network at the Cannes Film Market. This direct pipeline to the world's most influential film market aims to address a critical access gap for female producers in India.
The partnership leverages Jio Studios' formidable financial and distribution clout with the advocacy and credibility of Monga Kapoor's foundation. The scholarship is targeted specifically at mid-career professionals, indicating a focus on breaking the ceiling for women who have foundational experience but lack the international connections and capital to scale their projects. Cannes' Producers Network is a key hub for global financing and co-production deals, making this access point a substantial career accelerator.
This collaboration signals a strategic, institutional push to alter the composition of India's film industry at its highest commercial levels. By backing producers—the central figures who secure financing, assemble talent, and greenlight projects—the initiative targets the core of cinematic power. The alliance between a major corporate studio and an advocacy group founded by an Oscar winner creates a powerful model for change, applying both market pressure and mentorship to foster a new generation of female industry leaders with global reach.