Showcasing India on the global stage — Designing the Bharat Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival 2025

Introduction

The Cannes Film Festival 2025 marked yet another grand celebration of global cinema, culture, and creativity. Held annually at the Cannes French Riviera, this world-renowned event continues to stand as one of the most prestigious gatherings in the international cinematic calendar. With a spotlight on innovation and cross-cultural collaboration, the Cannes International Film Festival serves as a premier platform for countries to showcase their creative and cultural narratives.

This year, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), a key partner of the Cannes Film Festival, was assigned the responsibility of designing the Bharat Pavilion. In recognition of our longstanding partnership, FICCI entrusted us as its creative and execution partner. This opportunity was not only a proud milestone for our team but also a strategic engagement at one of the world’s most-watched cultural stages — the Cannes Cinema Festival.

Our Approach to Designing the Bharat Pavilion

Being selected to design the Bharat Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 demanded a vision that would match the scale and global expectations of the event. The pavilion was conceptualised as an immersive space that would not only honour India’s cinematic legacy but also reflect the evolving nature of storytelling in the digital age.

The theme — "Convergence of Creativity and Technology" — served as the guiding idea behind the design direction. In a time when AI, AR, VR, and IR technologies are transforming the media landscape, the next few years promise exciting possibilities for cinema worldwide. India, with its distinct style of storytelling, technological capability, and skilled creative workforce, stands poised to lead this shift.

Referencing this momentum, the pavilion design drew inspiration from futuristic thinking, complemented by traditional Indian aesthetics in a minimal and modern visual language.

Deliverables and Creative Assets

Our role spanned a comprehensive branding and communication strategy for the Cannes Festival 2025 presence. The following key design assets were created and executed:

● Pavilion Wall Design: A pattern-based visual narrative combining modern minimalism with Indian motifs, establishing a strong cultural yet contemporary presence.

● Standee Design: Informative, thematic standees placed at strategic locations across the Cannes French Riviera to guide and engage audiences.

● Animated Bharat Pavilion Video: A visually rich digital introduction to India’s participation at the Cannes Cinema Festival, displayed across LED screens at the venue.

● Newspapers, Magazines and Digital Advertisements: Targeted creative campaigns, including digital advertisements, encouraging event footfall towards the pavilion and enhancing visibility through official Cannes Film Festival publications.

● Exterior Branding: High-impact outdoor visuals designed to resonate with the aesthetic environment of the Cannes Festival 2025, attracting international attention.

Execution and Impact

Our creative approach was driven by the intention to position India as a dynamic, innovative, and globally relevant film ecosystem. Through every design element, we ensured that the Bharat Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 reflected the evolving identity of Indian cinema — one rooted in heritage and powered by forward-thinking technology.

This integrated design and branding exercise not only enhanced India’s presence at the Cannes Festival but also reinforced its readiness to embrace the technological future of storytelling, a narrative central to the Cannes International Film Festival and the broader Cannes Cinema Festival vision.

Conclusion

Participating in the Cannes Film Festival 2025 through the design and delivery of the Bharat Pavilion stands as a landmark achievement for us. It reaffirmed our ability to manage and execute international-scale projects that require both cultural sensitivity and cutting-edge design thinking.

We thank FICCI for their continued trust and for giving us the opportunity to contribute to India’s cinematic story at one of the most iconic venues in the world — the Cannes Film Festival on the Cannes French Riviera. This project has further strengthened our commitment to excellence, innovation, and creative leadership in the global content and events space.