Srinagar: The first-ever International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) concluded in Srinagar on Thursday with a vibrant closing ceremony, bringing the curtain down on four days of films, discussions, masterclasses, cultural performances and industry engagement across Jammu and Kashmir.
The maiden festival was organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, J&K. It was held from September 7 to 10 across Srinagar, Jammu and Gulmarg, bringing together filmmakers, actors, technicians, artists, industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts from India and abroad.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L. Murugan said Jammu and Kashmir was emerging as a global destination for cinema and the wider creative industries.
Congratulating the J&K government for organising the festival, Murugan highlighted the international response to its inaugural edition, saying around 1,100 films had been submitted from more than 80 countries.
He said the region’s landscapes, heritage, literature, music, traditions and young talent offered enormous possibilities for filmmaking and storytelling, and called upon the filmmakers, producers and investors to explore the opportunities available in J&K.
Murugan also underlined India’s growing ambitions in filmmaking, animation, gaming, music and emerging digital formats, stressing the need to “create in India and create for the world”.
The closing ceremony was also marked by a power-packed performance by veteran singer Usha Uthup, who enthralled the audience with her distinctive voice and energetic stage presence.
Adding a strong Kashmiri cultural touch to the evening, Kashmiri singer Gulzar Ganie performed the soulful Kashmiri Sufi number “Yaar Doad Naar Khoth”, penned by renowned Kashmiri poet and Sufi figure Wahab Khar.
The performance drew an enthusiastic response from the audience and added a local musical flavour to the closing celebrations.
The 4-day festival featured a diverse cinematic programme, including International Competition, Best Debut Director, Jammu & Kashmir Select, Bharat Panorama, Cinema of the World, Documentary/Hybrid and Short Films, besides masterclasses, in-conversation sessions, panel discussions, special screenings and retrospectives.
The festival’s programme also covered areas including direction and screenplay, cinematography, editing, acting, sound, animation and AI, documentary filmmaking, regional cinema, industry development and co-production, providing opportunities for interaction between established professionals and emerging filmmakers.
The festival opened on September 7 with Dead Dog, directed by Sarah Francis of Lebanon, while the closing film, Simsim, directed by Sondos Al-Smerat of Jordan, was screened at INOX Srinagar on Thursday afternoon.
The festival also featured the Floating Cinema programme, with screenings of films including Junglee, Kashmir Ki Kali, Arzoo and Kabhi Kabhie, adding a distinctive public-facing element to the festival programme.
With its inaugural edition, the IFFJK brought international cinema to Jammu and Kashmir while placing the region’s own stories, talent, culture and creative potential at the centre of its larger filmmaking ambitions.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and other dignitaries attended the closing ceremony of the event. (With inputs from KNO)
