A new Paris-based production company focused on independent and auteur-driven Indian cinema has officially entered the international film market. Pavo Films announced its launch at the Cannes Film Market, unveiling Rehmat as its debut co-production.
The company was co-founded by Cosmin Illes and Némésis Srour, who bring expertise in streaming platforms, South Asian cinema and film distribution. Illes previously worked at Spideo with international streaming services including Canal+ and Globo, before becoming head of marketing at LaCinetek, the French filmmaker-curated streaming platform.
Srour is the author of “Bollywood Film Traffic” and has spent over a decade curating and distributing Indian and South Asian cinema in France.
For its first project, Pavo Films has joined as French co-producer on Rehmat, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gurvinder Singh. Singh is known for internationally recognised films including Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan and Chauthi Koot. The film is currently in post-production and is produced in India by Vahao Studio.
Set in present-day Punjab, the film weaves together three interconnected stories exploring loss, identity and compassion. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah plays Rashid Ali, an elderly man returning to Punjab decades after his family left during Partition in 1947.
The screenplay is adapted from short stories by influential Punjabi writer Ajeet Cour. Singh said, “When I approached him, he agreed without even asking about the role (…) In the end, the screen character is a complex mix of what I imagined and how Naseer inhabited it.”
The ensemble cast also includes Suvinder Vicky, Mita Vashisht, Diya Kamboj and Navjot Randhawa.
“‘Rehmat’ portrays how people in a culturally and religiously diverse land navigate life, dealing with divisive political forces, yet retaining hope and compassion,” Singh said.
