Srinagar, Sep 10: The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary on Thursday said that Jammu and Kashmir’s first International Film Festival, which concluded after four days, would be made an annual flagship event, and that the Union Territory must be known not only as a location for films but as a place where cinema is created, celebrated and experienced.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo as per Kashmir Convener said 135 films from 40 countries were screened during the festival, which brought filmmakers from across the world to the Valley.
“Jammu and Kashmir and cinema share a long, beautiful bond, and Jammu and Kashmir was a preferred destination for film shooting for many decades. Our mountains, lakes and meadows have played host to some of India’s most iconic scenes,” he said. “Today, we open a new chapter.”
The Chief Secretary said the region offers what “no other destination in India can” — 365 days of shooting, five meadows, glacial lakes, Mughal gardens, ancient temples, Sufi shrines and living craft traditions, along with “European winter aesthetics and Central Asian terrains.” He said the administration’s film policy backs this with financial subsidies, a single-window clearance system and a dedicated film facilitation mechanism, and that plans are afoot to build a larger ecosystem of studios, production support and film education “so that when a filmmaker arrives with a script, everything is ready.”
He said the J&K section was a highlight of the festival, where local filmmakers told authentic stories of identity, memory and belonging.
“Jammu and Kashmir has gifted writers, actors, musicians and technicians. Our goal is cinema made in J&K, by Jammu and Kashmir, for the world,” he said, urging young people in the region to “believe in your story.”
The Chief Secretary said the administration received “excellent ideas and suggestions” during the festival, including the establishment of a film development council, a film city, a local film development fund for Kashmiri-Dogri cinema, and partnerships with leading film institutes. “We are planning to make the International Film Festival of J&K an annual flagship event, which will be a celebration of cinema, creativity, culture and collaboration to connect J&K talent with the world of cinema,” he said.
He asked international guests to “return as partners, not just visitors,” and thanked the Chief Minister, delegates, jury members, the Department of Information and Public Relations and every team member who made the event possible.
“Tonight the curtain falls on the International Film Festival of J&K’s first edition, but as we always say, it does not end here, it begins here,” he said.
Comments are closed.