‘Think Film, Think Bradford’ was the message at the glittering launch of the Bradford Whistling Woods International Film School, with one special guest flying in from Mumbai.

Meghna Ghai-Puri, the president of Whistling Woods International, based in Mumbai, was at the red carpet event after a civic reception with the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Khadim Hussain, at City Hall.

Big names in the world of film gathered at Bradford College’s Old Building yesterday for the official launch of the partnership between Whistling Woods International and the film school with the college’s principal Michele Sutton saying that years of work had culminated in the launch.

The partnership will see the institutions help students learn all about film in Mumbai and Bradford.

“We have invested in resources and staff and are pleased we can offer a range of courses from Higher National Diplomas through to Master Degrees. It can only be good for our students, Bradford and the region as a whole, giving it global status,” Mrs Sutton said.

Ms Ghai-Puri added: “This is a beautiful partnership. We have spent four years working with Bradford.

“I have been saying we need the creative world to have good talented film makers who are international and they can learn about international film-making and be globally recognised. Places like the National Media Museum are important and absolutely essential for the film school.”

Trevor Griffiths, director of the film school, added: “This is a huge partnership with India and Bradford and we are already a Unesco City of Film, which this stands for. I think it is just about right now we should be looking at a film school.

“To partner with Whistling Woods is an opportunity not many places would have turned down.”

David Wilson, the director of Unesco City of Film, said: “This is all part of the ongoing film strategy for Bradford. Where better to launch a film school than Bradford.

“We were there at the beginning of film as some of the first early inventions came from Bradford.

“Over 30 film and television productions have been done here in the last five years. The Whistling Woods International school is one of the top ten film schools in the world, named in the Hollywood Reporter.”

Steve Abbott, the chairman of City of Film, said that the partnership was a “massive coup for them”.

“When we started City of Film this was one link in that strategy,” Mr Abbott said. “I would urge people to come and learn about film in Bradford.

“We now have an Anglo-Bollywood film school and that is another unique selling point as well as the Unesco City of Film.”