New Delhi, Nov 14: Two Kashmiri-language films have been selected for the Indian Panorama section of the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), scheduled to be held in Goa from November 20 to 28, with one of the productions also shortlisted for the Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Award.
The two selections have brought attention to filmmaking from Kashmir at a major national film festival. While Sledge, directed by Raja Shabir Mohd Khan, has been nominated among five films for the debut director award, Naqsh-e-Daur, directed by Baba Tassaduq Hussain, has been selected in the non-feature film category.
The recognition places Kashmiri cinema alongside productions from several Indian languages and regions in a selection intended to showcase the diversity of contemporary Indian filmmaking.
For Sledge, the selection carries an additional significance as it enters the race for the Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Award. The film is competing with four other productions: Chennai Love Story (Telugu), directed by Ravi Varma Namburi; Pratyabartan (Bengali), directed by Samarpan Sengupta; Tighi (Marathi), directed by Jeejivisha Kale; and Hanuman Ansh (Hindi), directed by Dr Vishal Chaturvedi.
The award, which seeks to encourage emerging filmmaking talent, carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a certificate. The five nominated films will also be screened as part of the festival programme.
The second Kashmiri entry, Naqsh-e-Daur, has been selected among 20 non-feature films. Its inclusion provides another platform for Kashmiri-language filmmaking within a programme that brings together documentaries and other non-feature productions from across the country.
The Indian Panorama 2026 selection comprises 25 feature films, including five in the Mainstream Cinema section, and 20 non-feature films.
According to the selection details, the feature-film jury considered 404 entries, while the non-feature category received 358 submissions. A total of 45 films have been selected across the two categories.
The feature-film jury was headed by filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, while filmmaker and educationist Himanshu Sekhar Khatua chaired the non-feature film jury.
Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, has been selected as the opening feature film of Indian Panorama, while Becoming, a Ladakhi-language non-feature film directed by Leena Yadav, will open the non-feature section.
The selections bring together films representing different languages, regions and storytelling traditions, reflecting the diversity of India’s film industry.
Introduced in 1978, Indian Panorama is a flagship component of IFFI, established to showcase Indian films of cinematic, thematic and aesthetic merit.
Over the years, the section has provided filmmakers working in different Indian languages an opportunity to present their work before national and international audiences.
Its significance extends beyond screenings at IFFI. Selected films may also be considered for participation in other film festivals, Indian Film Weeks and special cultural showcases in India and abroad.
For filmmakers working in regional languages, such platforms can help improve visibility, encourage industry connections and bring stories rooted in local cultures to audiences outside their immediate regions.
The selection of Sledge and Naqsh-e-Daur is particularly relevant in this context, as both films represent Kashmiri-language productions in two different cinematic categories.
Kashmir has a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, offering filmmakers a wide range of subjects drawn from its literature, folklore, social experiences, history and everyday life.
However, producing films in regional languages also involves challenges related to financing, production infrastructure, distribution and access to wider exhibition platforms.
National-level selections can therefore provide an important opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their work, engage with audiences and connect with the broader film industry.
The inclusion of two Kashmiri productions in this year’s Indian Panorama also draws attention to the importance of regional-language cinema in representing the cultural diversity of the country.
The 57th International Film Festival of India will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28 under the theme ‘Stories Without Borders’.
The festival will showcase more than 150 international films from 86 countries, alongside 76 Indian films across 18 languages.
Introduced in 1952, IFFI is among Asia’s oldest international film festivals and serves as a platform for cinematic exchange, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts from different countries.
With Sledge competing for the debut director award and Naqsh-e-Daur featuring in the non-feature selection, the two Kashmiri films will represent the Valley’s cinematic presence at the 57th edition of the festival.
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