The silver screen has always been a medium to project dreams but this week in Srinagar it has brought people together who looked forward to not only sharing their dreams but also creating new ones. Inaugurated at INOX multiplex the first ever International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir has propelled the Union Territory into not only a four-day gala of cinema but also on a new cultural frontier.
The week-long event which kicks off on September 7 and will conclude on the 10th has seen the valley rejoice not only at the prospect of viewing films but also at an altogether new beginning in its cultural history.
The confluence of filmmakers actors technicians academicians and movie lovers from across the country and the globe is a befitting indicator of the Valley’s blossoming journey as one of the most happening destinations for the Indian film industry.
With screenings of 135 films carefully selected from the total number of entries received from across the globe including more than 60 films from foreign countries the International Film Festival of J&K truly creates a world village with cinema as the common language.
But for the people of this beautiful valley it has been much more than just a festival.
An opportunity to showcase its age-old association with movies and its undying love affair with the silver screen is what the International Film Festival of J&K is all about.
The Valley’s scenic splendor has attracted filmmakers who have fallen in love with Kashmir and made it their favorite haunt.
The J&K government is trying to take this state-led initiative to not only make the region a melting pot for cinema but also to help it become a global leader in the field.
This week-long fest that has so far witnessed an overwhelming response is indeed a fitting tribute to the Valley’s rich cinematic legacy.
It has been heartwarming to see so many international delegates turn up in Srinagar and also view the kind of film festival that has been specially curated for this unique gathering of writers and critics from across the globe.
The very fact that the International Film Festival of J&K has created such an enormous positive chatter in the global media is an indicator of the message of peace and brotherhood that it has been trying to project since its inception.
Apart from the immeasurable cultural quotient it has added to the region the economic value generated for the local economy through the employment of technicians and organizers involved with the event is priceless.
The film festival has also helped in ushering in a new generation of Kashmiri filmmakers who will hopefully go on to bigger and better things in the world of cinema. Thus in this new chapter of Kashmir’s narrative the International Film Festival of J&K has opened up new gates of hope. Eyes are now on the Valley as it rolls out the red carpet and the cameras roll on to chronicle this new dawn.
