41 countries, 135 movies: Kashmir set to host its first international film festival

Jammu and Kashmir is set to host its first international film festival next month, bringing together 135 films from 41 countries as the Union Territory seeks to revive its longstanding association with cinema and position the Valley as a global destination for filmmaking and cultural exchange.

Titled ‘Rang-e-Cinema’, the festival will be organised by the J&K government's Information and Public Relations department from September 7 to 10.

The festival is intended to create opportunities for local filmmakers, attract national and international productions, promote film tourism and strengthen Jammu and Kashmir's presence on the global cinematic map.

The Valley has had a long relationship with Indian cinema, with films such as Kashmir Ki Kali in the 1960s, Kabhi Kabhie in the 1970s, and more recent productions including Highway and Raazi being shot against its landscape.

135 films shortlisted from 1,100 entries

The organisers said they received more than 1,100 submissions from over 80 countries for the inaugural festival.

Of these, 135 films from 41 countries have been shortlisted.

India has the largest representation with 64 films, while France has 13 entries and Iran eight. Films from Türkiye, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Spain, Brazil, Qatar, Argentina, the US, South Korea, Colombia and Taiwan are also set to feature.

The screenings will be held at multiple venues, including the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre and INOX PVR in Srinagar, Waves Cinema in Jammu and the Gulmarg health resort.

A floating cinema on Dal Lake

One of the festival's more unusual attractions will be a proposed floating screen on Dal Lake.

The initiative is intended to allow tourists travelling on Shikaras to watch films while on the lake, combining cinema with one of Kashmir's most recognisable tourist experiences.

The festival will also feature exhibitions and programmes highlighting J&K's handicrafts, handloom, cuisine, music, traditional arts and cultural heritage.

The government has appointed 50 civil service officers as liaison officers to assist visiting filmmakers, delegates and other dignitaries during the event.

Rs 96 lakh in prize money

The festival will have nine award categories, with total prize money of Rs 96 lakh.

The Best Film award carries a prize of ₹25 lakh, while the Best Director and Best Debut Director awards carry ₹15 lakh each.

Other awards include:

• Best Film – J&K Select: ₹10 lakh

• Best Actor – Male: ₹8 lakh

• Best Actor – Female: ₹8 lakh

• Best Cinematography: ₹5 lakh

• Best Sound Design: ₹5 lakh

• Best Editing: ₹5 lakh

Five-member international jury

The festival's five-member jury includes cinematographer and director Santosh Sivan, sound designer and mixer Resul Pookutty, German film curator and journalist Dorothee Wenner, Bang Singapore founder and CEO Keiko Bang, and filmmaker Himansu Sekhar Khatua.

Several filmmakers and industry professionals, including Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Namrata Rao, Baylon Fonseca and Chitranjan Tripathi, are also expected to participate in the programme.

For the J&K administration, the festival is not only an opportunity to screen international cinema but also an attempt to reconnect the region with an industry that has historically used its landscapes as a backdrop.

By bringing international filmmakers, local artists and audiences together, the government hopes ‘Rang-e-Cinema’ will turn Kashmir from a location frequently seen on screen into a destination for cinema itself.