The Cannes Film Festival will celebrate India's 60th year of Independence as well as its own 60th anniversary next year by screening eight to ten Indian films.

The films will be shown under the 'Cinema of the World' section.

''This is a non-competitive section. Negotiations are on between the Indian government and the Cannes Film Festival authorities to put together a good show.

If all goes well, some of the Indian films selected as part of the package will be included in the competitive section also,'' said Mr Xavier Merlin of the Centre National De La Cinematographie (CNC) in charge of financing and regulating the film sector.

He was speaking on the topic 'Indo-France Co-Production' at the two day 'India-The Big Picture' conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as part of the 37th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Mr Merlin said France produces the largest number of movies in Europe and the French were open to cinemas from all over the world.

''Out of the 240 movies certified by the CNC last year in France, one out of two were co-productions,'' he said.

France has about 50 co-production treaties with different countries. ''We signed a treaty with South Africa last month. We have a treaty with Belgium primarily because it is a French speaking country. There is Italy, UK, Canada and Israel,'' he added.

Mr Merlin said France was looking forward to a co-production treaty with India because both countries have a lot of common stories to tell, given the French presence in the country till about five decades ago. Besides, co-production treaty would mean a gateway to exclusive financial and other support from the CNC and television channels.

He said Indo-French co-production treaty was first signed in 1985. ''It is now old fashioned and outdated. We are eager to negotiate as it should be efficient in terms of implementation,'' he added.

''We also need to understand how the certification process works in both the countries. Certification is easier in France,'' he added.