Four-day Kashmir film festival sharpens spotlight on filmmakers’ destination, local storytellers

The four-day star-studded 1st International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) concluded on Thursday (September 10, 2026) in Srinagar and put a sharp spotlight on Kashmir as filmmakers’ destination and a platform for locals to emerge as storytellers.

Besides the screening of 120 movies from around 30 countries, scores of locals, including students, film enthusiasts, artists and filmmakers, were provided a platform to meet and learn from the big names of Bollywood like Ramesh Sippy, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Imtiaz Ali etc. 

Locals had masterclasses and interactive sessions on varies subjects related to cinema with filmmakers like Rahhat Shah Kazmi, Kapil Matoo, Munjal Shroff, Subbiah Nallamuthu, Arun Chadda, Yadu Vijaykrishnan, Supriyo Sen, Chittaranjan Tripathy etc.

Buoyed by the success of the festival, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “It allowed a young writer meeting a director, an aspiring filmmaker learning from a professional or two people meeting here who may one day make a film together.”

A movie is screened at a floating cinema on Dal Lake during Jammu and Kashmir’s first International Film Festival in Srinagar.
| Photo Credit:
IMRAN NISSAR

Mr. Abdullah pitched Kashmir not “merely a filming destination” but “a place to emerge with stories”. “The festival was an idea being tested, an invitation, an experiment and, above all, a hope that Jammu and Kashmir could create a meaningful platform for cinema,” said Mr. Abdullah.

Referring to films shot in Kashmir in the past like ‘Aarzoo’, ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ and ‘Kabhi Kabhi’, Mr. Abdullah said, “These films were screened against the very landscape that helped make them memorable.” These films were screened on a floating screen on the Dal lake.

“For decades, Kashmir travelled to audiences through a cinema screen. This week, in a sense, the screen came back to Kashmir,” said Mr. Abdullah.

Speaking on occasion, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, said J&K was emerging as an active creator, host and partner in modern global storytelling. “For decades, the silver screen showed us the snow peaks of Gulmarg, the saffron fields of Srinagar and the historic temples of Jammu through a camera lens. Today, J&K is not just a brief shooting location; it is becoming an active creator, host and partner in modern global storytelling,” said Mr. Murugan.

The concluding session of the festival was wrapped up by enthralling performances of singers Usha Uthup and Gulzar Ganai. Several movies, directors and actors were also awarded on the occasion. Filmmaker Kapil Matto’s ‘Tasrufdar – The Jinns of Kashmir’ bagged the award for Best Film in the J&K Category. Tanya Maniktala Wins Best Female Actress Award for ‘Arifa’.