One word that defines Parminder Vir is 'passion'. She's greatly passionate about media - clearly reflecting in her work. Having been awarded the Order of the British Empire for her work in documentaries, TV and film over the years, she's now heavily into international film finance, co-productions and film distribution deals. Her recent day-long workshop at Whistling Woods International was a great eye-opener and a huge stepping stone for all the Direction and Business of Film & Television students who attended it. She shared her views on the changing trends in the Indian film industry and the ever expanding international avenues for film financing of Indian films.

"It is easy to find international funding for cultural films out of India, primarily because of the significant interest the world has in Indian culture. India has a rich cultural heritage and now is the time that one should capitalize on the same. However, the narratives need to be structured in a manner that is globally understandable. Only 3 films which can be termed as produced entirely in India have really appealed to the non-Indian audience - Lagaan, Devdas and Rang De Basanti. Films like Monsoon Wedding, Water and Bandit Queen cannot really be called Indian films. Also, for an Indian film, the main revenue (over 80%) still comes from India, which needs to change in the years to come."

Whistling Woods International, Asia's largest institute for film, television, animation and media arts has announced its January 2008 intake with applications open for 2-year programs in Acting, Animation, Production, Cinematography, Direction, Editing, Screenwriting and Sound.