J&K Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo inaugurates four-day international film festival in Srinagar

More than 1,100 film entries received from 80 countries, 135 films selected for the festival.

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 07 (STC): A four-day International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir, which is first of its kind, was inaugurated here today by J&K Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo.
The festival will continue from September 7 to 10, in which selected films from different countries of the world, including India, will be screened.
This festival is being termed as a major development for the cultural and creative scene of Jammu and Kashmir, as for the first time, a common platform has been provided to filmmakers at the global level to present their creations in this region.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo said that an invitation for the submission of films was given for the film festival, in response to which a very encouraging response was received from all over the world. He said that more than 1100 entries were received from 80 countries for participation in the festival and screening of films. Such a large scale international participation highlights the international importance of this festival and the interest in it in the film world.
The Chief Secretary said that after the screening and selection process of the films received, 135 films have been shortlisted keeping in mind the available time and other factors. “These selected films will be presented to the audience in different sessions during the festival. The selected films are expected to reflect different themes, stories and filmmaking styles, Atal Dulloo said. He added that the 135 shortlisted films include more than 60 foreign films. Through the screening of these films, the audience of Jammu and Kashmir will get a chance to be directly exposed to the cinema, culture, society and creative expression of different regions of the world. He said that the participation of international films will provide a more diverse and global color to the festival, while local filmmakers and artists will also get an opportunity to understand the different trends and techniques of world cinema.
The aim of the four-day film festival is to provide a platform to filmmakers, artists, cinema professionals and film lovers where they can benefit from the film creations of different countries as well as exchange experiences and ideas with each other.
The global participation in the festival is also expected to provide an opportunity for local talent to connect with the international film community and explore new possibilities of cooperation in the future.
Meanwhile, the holding of the first International Film Festival is being considered an important milestone for the film, art and culture sector in Jammu and Kashmir. This initiative is expected to promote the organization of international level cultural programs in the region as well as create new opportunities for local artists and creative individuals.
Through the festival, films from different parts of the world are being presented on a single platform, which will give the audience an opportunity to see the different colors of world cinema and get to know the stories of different societies.
(Straight Talk Communications)