Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is set to step into the global cinematic spotlight as the maiden International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJ&K) begins on Monday, September 7. The four-day festival, themed “Rang-e-Cinema”, will run till September 10 and bring together films, filmmakers and cinema professionals from across India and abroad.
Organised by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), J&K, the inaugural edition will showcase 135 films representing 41 countries, selected from around 1,100 entries received from across the world. India has the largest representation with 64 films, followed by France with 13 and Iran with eight, while films from countries including Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Russia, the United States, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Qatar, Colombia and Türkiye will also feature.
The festival will be centred in Srinagar, with screenings and programmes also scheduled in Jammu and Gulmarg. Official venues include the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), INOX Multiplex in Srinagar, Movie Time Cinemas at KC Central in Jammu and the Gulmarg Convention Centre.
One of the biggest attractions will be the floating cinema on Dal Lake, with a screen being installed on the waters near SKICC. Audiences seated on shikaras will be able to watch films against the backdrop of the lake and surrounding mountains, offering what organisers describe as a distinctive cinematic experience showcasing J&K’s natural and cultural landscape.
The festival will feature multiple sections covering international competition, Indian cinema, documentaries, short films and regional filmmaking, including J&K Select and Bharat Panorama. The programme is also designed to provide a platform for local filmmakers and emerging talent while promoting film tourism and positioning J&K as a destination for filmmaking and creative collaboration.
The inaugural festival carries a total prize purse of Rs 96 lakh across nine categories. The Best Film will receive Rs 25 lakh, while Best Director and Best Debut Film of a Director will carry Rs 15 lakh each. The Best Film in the J&K Select category carries Rs 10 lakh, while Best Actor (Male) and Best Actor (Female) will receive Rs 8 lakh each. Awards have also been earmarked for cinematography, sound design and editing.
A five-member international jury will assess the competitive sections, including acclaimed cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan, Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, German film curator Dorothee Wenner, media entrepreneur Keiko Bang and filmmaker-educator Himansu Sekhar Khatua.
Beyond screenings, the festival will host masterclasses, industry panels and conversations with filmmakers and cinema professionals, offering aspiring filmmakers, students and young cinema enthusiasts an opportunity to interact with experienced names from the industry.
The festival will also spotlight J&K’s cultural identity through cinema, with programmes and experiences connecting filmmaking with the region’s handicrafts, handloom, music, cuisine, traditional arts and heritage. The organisers have positioned the event as an effort to revive J&K’s long association with cinema and create greater opportunities for local talent, filmmaking and cultural exchange.
The festival is expected to mark a significant new chapter in J&K’s relationship with the film industry, moving beyond the region’s traditional role as a filming location to creating a platform where international cinema, local storytelling and the global film fraternity can converge.
