Oscar-nominated Indian director Ashvin Kumar is working with Hollywood producer Judith James for his jungle thriller "The Forest", which has a save-our-woods message.

After his acclaimed short film "Little Terrorist" last year, Kumar found Hollywood backers for his new film, the first major post-production of a Hollywood-backed film in India.

"The future is about bringing together the best talent in the world to make some of the best films for the biggest markets in the world," said the 30-something Kumar.

"International productions use India as a location and then ship out their negative to get processed overseas. We are not going to do that. We're bringing in experts to help bridge the gap (that exists) on our film.

"I intend to make two more feature films in India, so I am here for the long haul. I am interested in developing a pool of colleagues and collaborators who will help us achieve an international standard."

One of the best sales agents for thrillers, Arclight Films, an Australian film sales company, has been roped in for "The Forest".

"In this market it is impossible to get an international sales agent to agree to a film let alone invest in it without big ticket stars," said Kumar.

Come September, a crew from Belgium, Switzerland, Britain, France, Germany and the US will start trickling in to make the film, to be shot on a tight one-month schedule in India with a shorter week-long schedule in Los Angeles.

The Oscar-nominated "Little Terrorist" was showcased at 50 international film festivals and has won eight best film awards in countries ranging from Iran to Canada.

Kumar has secured representation with the highly sought talent agency, ICM (International Creative Management).

With all this, he wants to make the world see a cinema that is different from Bollywood.

"Unfortunately, Bollywood has a virtual hegemony on film viewership in this country and movements in world cinema go largely unnoticed in India.

"Films made in South America, China and Japan have been successful at the worldwide box office. With our filmmaking history where are the Indian films that are creating waves overseas?" said Kumar.

"Countries like Thailand are making world-class cinema and they've none of the advantages of a film industry, a star system like ours. There's a bourgeoning audience for international or independent films, fuelled in no small measure by the multiplex boom and the DVD boom. It's going to happen in India too."

"Little Terrorist" was the first short film that got a theatrical release in India.