Inaugurated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 7 at Srinagar’s SKICC, the maiden International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir brought world cinema to the valley. Organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the festival drew over 300 global delegates, screened 135 films from 40 countries, and offered Rs 96 lakh in prize money across nine categories.

Yet, from a local perspective, the festival highlighted a glaring gap. Filmmaker Kapil Matoo urged the J&K government to draw inspiration from Uttar Pradesh to create a genuinely filmmaker-friendly environment. It served as a wake-up call and made evident that the region’s infrastructure and policies are not yet fully equipped to ensure that Kashmir’s indigenous artists reap the real benefits of such international platforms. Speaking on the sidelines of the festival, Kapil Matoo highlighted the way the UP government provides subsidies, allowing a local filmmaker or producer to take the money. “If local filmmakers are shooting their films completely in Kashmir, what are they getting?” he asked. He stressed that the administration must move beyond merely providing locations; it needs to actively handhold local filmmakers and empower them to tell their own stories. Kashmir has a lot of talent, but much of it remains directionless. To bridge this gap, Matoo emphasised the........

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