Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday, 18 August chaired a high-level meeting to review final preparations for the inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK), scheduled from 7 to 10 September across Srinagar and Jammu. The four-day event is positioned as a premier global platform for cinematic excellence, cultural exchange, and emerging filmmaking talent from the region.

What the Festival Will Feature

Commissioner Secretary Information R. Alice Vaz briefed the Chief Minister on the festival's programming, which spans multiple competitive and non-competitive categories — International Competition, Cinema of the World, Bharat Panorama, J&K Select, Best Debut Film, Documentary/Hybrid, and Short Films. Beyond screenings, the programme will include masterclasses, panel discussions, in-conversation sessions, round tables, and workshops featuring filmmakers, actors, critics, scholars, and other prominent industry personalities.

Principal Venues and Key Arrangements

The festival's principal venues — Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), INOX Shivpora, Srinagar, and Waves Cinema, Jammu — were reviewed at the meeting. A proposed floating cinema at Lalit Ghat is also part of the plan, adding a distinctive experiential dimension to the event. A Gulmarg excursion for select filmmakers, covering the Gondola, Golf Course, and Gulmarg Club, was also discussed.

Logistics, Security and Coordination

The meeting covered a broad range of operational requirements including security and traffic arrangements, airport facilitation, hospitality and protocol, accommodation, transportation, medical facilities, power supply, sanitation, and venue preparedness. Dedicated liaison and nodal officers are being appointed to coordinate with the Information Department and visiting guests. The department has been tasked with maintaining a consolidated action matrix tracking responsibilities, timelines, and pending issues, alongside managing invitations, participant facilitation, and media arrangements.

Abdullah's Directives and Vision for IFFJK

Chief Minister Abdullah directed all departments and agencies to ensure readiness well ahead of the festival's commencement. He called for the prominent showcasing of Jammu and Kashmir's heritage, cuisine, handicrafts, traditional art forms, and tourist destinations throughout the event. He stressed that meticulous inter-departmental coordination would be essential to establish IFFJK as a flagship annual event on the global film calendar, while also creating meaningful opportunities for local filmmakers and emerging talent. Extensive publicity and branding at regional and national levels — across print, electronic, digital, and outdoor media — is also being planned.