SRINAGAR: The first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) began in Srinagar on Monday, featuring 135 shortlisted films from India and abroad and aiming to strengthen the region’s links with the national and international film industry.
The four-day festival, being held from September 7 to 10, received more than 1,100 entries from 80 countries, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said. Of the 135 films selected for screening, more than 60 are from foreign filmmakers.
The festival has been supported by the Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
Dulloo said the response to the inaugural festival had been significant, with submissions received from across the world.
After a screening and selection process, 135 entries were shortlisted for presentation during the four-day event, he said.
The festival is intended to re-establish Jammu and Kashmir’s connection with the wider film industry and encourage filmmakers from India and abroad to consider the region for film production.
Kumar said the event would provide an opportunity to showcase Jammu and Kashmir’s culture, cuisine and heritage while promoting the region as a filming destination.
He said the festival could also open opportunities for local youth across various areas of filmmaking, including photography, direction, technical work, acting, music and songwriting.
Local artist Bindiya Tikku described the festival as a significant development for the region’s artistic community, particularly because of the range of cinema being screened.
She said the programme included regional and Kashmiri-language films alongside international productions, including Lebanese-language cinema, with multiple screening venues prepared for the event.
Tikku said the festival was helping bridge a gap that had developed between Kashmir and the wider film industry and international cinema.
Actor and artist Shabbir Ahmed said the event could help revive Bollywood’s longstanding association with Kashmir and encourage filmmakers to return to the region.
He said the festival should also ensure meaningful participation of local artists and provide them with opportunities when outside production teams come to Jammu and Kashmir.
Ahmed said the region had the local talent and technical capabilities required for film production and that greater collaboration could benefit both visiting filmmakers and local professionals.
Veteran Bollywood actor Akbar Khan said film festivals could serve as platforms for cultural exchange and help build connections between people and countries.
He described Jammu and Kashmir as a strong filming destination, recalling the region’s longstanding association with Bollywood productions.
Khan also called for the region’s culture, traditions and public sentiments to be respected while promoting it as a filming location.
The inaugural IFFJK is showcasing Indian and international cinema while seeking to promote local filmmaking talent and highlight Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural heritage, cuisine and tourism potential.
