Srinagar, Sep 11: The curtains may have risen on the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) with ambitious promises of global cinema, cultural exchange, and an international platform for filmmakers, but for several local artists, filmmakers, and cultural figures, the experience appears to have been marked by confusion, poor coordination and a deep sense of exclusion.
Even as the Jammu and Kashmir government highlighted an “overwhelming global response,” claiming that the festival had received 875 film submissions from around 50 countries, criticism from members of the local creative community has raised uncomfortable questions about whether the event lived up to the standards expected of an international film festival.
At the heart of the criticism is alleged organisational chaos.
One participant, Muzakir Ali, expressing strong disappointment over the conduct of the festival, described the event as “completely disorganised, poorly prepared and unprofessional.”
According to him, the programme schedule was released barely a day before the event, only for significant changes to be made without adequate communication.
The confusion, he alleged, began with registration and passes.
While some participants completed the registration process, passes were reportedly being distributed on unclear grounds. Eventually, the participant claimed, entry appeared to be granted without the passes being strictly required.
The larger problem, however, was the absence of information.
The participant said it took nearly three hours at the venue to understand which events were taking place and where.
With changes in the programme reportedly not communicated clearly, visitors were left searching for information.
“For an event projected as an international film festival, there was no visible information booth and hardly anyone available to guide visitors about the programme, venues or changes,” the participant said, questioning the priorities behind the elaborate preparations.
The criticism also extended to the scale of decoration at the venue.
While elaborate floral arrangements and large-scale décor dominated parts of the festival space, critics questioned whether the emphasis on visual grandeur had come at the cost of basic festival management and visitor facilitation.
KASHMIR FACING TOTAL WASHOUT
Playwright and artist Sohal Lal Kaul struck a more pointed note, contrasting the concerns of visiting filmmakers with those of the local creative community.
“Outside filmmakers are bothered about issues in subtitling; Kashmir is bothered about a total washout,” he remarked, reflecting the growing frustration among sections of local artists over what they see as a missed opportunity.
Broadcaster and former producer of Sheharbeen at All India Radio Srinagar, Masood Uri, questioned what the festival had tangibly delivered for the region’s own artists, filmmakers and producers.
“What have the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially local artists, filmmakers and producers, achieved from this festival?” he asked.
Masood said that while the festival was projected as a major cinematic initiative, the event had not, in his view, produced visible commitments that could strengthen the local film ecosystem.
He also questioned why broader concerns relating to local cultural infrastructure and platforms for artists had not found adequate space in the discussions surrounding the festival.
More significantly, Masood alleged that local producers, writers and artists were not adequately represented or invited.
ALLEGATIONS OF DOUBLE STANDARDS
Singer and composer Waheed Jeelani raised concerns about what he described as unequal treatment of local artists.
“A sad double standard at the so-called Film Festival,” Jeelani said. “Outside artists were given the main stage and every facility, while our valued Kashmiri artists were confined to peripheral spaces, with some even made to sit on the grass without basic arrangements.”
He questioned whether such treatment reflected the respect that Jammu and Kashmir’s own artists and cultural traditions deserved.
The criticism points towards a larger concern repeatedly voiced by local cultural practitioners: whether an event organised in Jammu and Kashmir can truly claim to celebrate cinema and culture if the region’s own filmmakers, musicians, writers and artists do not occupy the centre of the conversation.
FILM SHIFTED AT THE LAST MINUTE
Artist and filmmaker Ramesh Zadoo described his experience as “extremely disappointing and unprofessional” after his film Batt Koch reportedly underwent a last-minute change in its screening schedule.
According to Zadoo, the film had initially been scheduled for screening at SKICC, Srinagar, on September 9.
However, he later learnt that the screening had been shifted to INOX Srinagar on September 10 as the closing film.
The change, he said, came after he had already circulated the original screening details among his contacts, including guests and invitees.
“A last-minute change of this nature causes embarrassment not only to the filmmaker but also to everyone who has been informed and made plans accordingly,” Zadoo said.
He described the development as indicative of a “serious lack of coordination, communication and professionalism” in the conduct of an event of such scale.
“What was expected to be the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir increasingly feels like a photo-session-driven event rather than a professionally managed film festival,” he said, adding that filmmakers and artists deserved greater respect.
For Zadoo, the issue went beyond a single screening.
“Batt Koch deserves a dignified screening, proper communication and respect for the people behind the film,” he said.
BIG NUMBERS, BIGGER QUESTIONS
The criticism stands in sharp contrast to the optimism projected by the government ahead of the festival.
In an official communication, the government said the inaugural IFFJK had received 875 film submissions from around 50 countries, describing it as evidence of growing global interest in Jammu and Kashmir’s cinematic potential.
Organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the festival was envisioned as a platform to establish Jammu and Kashmir as a vibrant destination for cinema, creativity and cultural exchange.
Festival Director Shreya Singhal had described the response as “rousing,” saying the festival was progressing well.
But the experiences shared by artists and participants suggest a striking disconnect between the official narrative and the concerns emerging from the ground.
The fundamental question being raised by the artistic community is not whether Jammu and Kashmir should host an international film festival. On the contrary, many believe the region deserves one.
The question is whether the festival can succeed in the long term without professional planning, transparent communication and meaningful participation by local artists and filmmakers.
An international festival, cultural practitioners argue, cannot be defined merely by the number of countries represented, celebrity appearances, elaborate venues or decorative spectacle.
Its success must also be measured by the experience it offers filmmakers, the dignity it extends to artists, the opportunities it creates for local talent and the cultural legacy it leaves behind.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the inaugural edition of IFFJK was an opportunity to announce itself on the global cinematic map. For some members of its own artistic fraternity, however, it has also become an occasion to ask whether, amid the lights, décor and spectacle, the voices closest to home were heard at all. The first edition may have brought cinema to centre stage. The challenge now is to ensure that, in future editions, professionalism, communication and Kashmir’s own creative voices are not left behind.
