9th April, 2023 Mumbai: The Jammu Film Festival has opened its doors to cinema enthusiasts and filmmakers from all over the world. The event, which runs for a week, will showcase movies from 11 countries, providing a platform for both established and up-and-coming filmmakers to showcase their works.
The festival is being organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department in collaboration with the Films Division and the Directorate of Information and Public Relations. The event aims to promote Jammu as a filming destination and to foster cultural exchanges between filmmakers from different countries.
This year’s festival features a diverse range of films from 11 countries, including India, Iran, South Korea, the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, and Kazakhstan. The films cover a wide range of genres, from drama and romance to comedy and horror, and explore a variety of themes that are relevant to contemporary society.
The festival’s co-director, Rohit Bhat, said, “We received around 100 entries from 16 countries this year, and the quality of films was exceptional.” JKAACL secretary Bharat Singh Manhas praised the festival for providing a platform for artists from Jammu and Kashmir to showcase their talent and interact with filmmakers from other parts of the world .IAS veteran Wing Comm Ashok Saraf, the advisor to the festival, said, “It’s great to see the support that the festival has received from sponsors and others and I hope it continues to grow and become a significant platform for filmmakers in the region.”
Apart from the Indian films, the festival also features several international films that have won critical acclaim at international film festivals. For instance, the Iranian film “Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness,” directed by Massoud Bakhshi, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The movie explores the theme of forgiveness and redemption and is set in the context of an Iranian reality TV show.
The Jammu Film Festival is a great opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their work and for movie enthusiasts to enjoy a diverse range of films from different parts of the world. The event also provides a platform for cultural exchange and dialogue, allowing filmmakers from different countries to share their experiences and perspectives.
Overall, the Jammu Film Festival is a must-attend event for anyone interested in cinema and culture. The festival offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and diversity of cinema from around the world and to engage in meaningful conversations with filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from different parts of the globe.