New Delhi: Inaugurating the first edition of the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir on Monday, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged filmmakers to look beyond the Union Territory’s landscape.
“Seek out our stories. Listen to our people, listen to our musicians, walk through our city lanes and let our living, breathing culture of this land infuse your narratives,” Abdullah said at the inauguration of IFFJK at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. The three-day film festival will begin on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister called the film festival a “declaration of intent”, before highlighting J&K’s single-window digital portal that facilitates film shooting in the UT by eliminating bureaucratic delays.
As part of the process, film location approvals and security-related permissions are processed online within a stipulated time frame, and are handled by dedicated nodal officers.
“Substantial financial subsidies for filmmakers who shoot in J&K. Whether you are an independent filmmaker, making your first debut feature, or a major global studio, the government offers direct financial support, linked to shooting days, and local expenditures,” Abdullah said.
He emphasised that the government will actively support films that hire local artists, technicians, and crew members.
“If your film features local talent or highlights the rich heritage of J&K, additional incentives are provided. We are building a robust local workforce of cinematographers, line producers, sound engineers, and actors, so that you can arrive in a script and find everything else right here,” he said.
The CM revealed that the government is planning to invest in “modern post-production facilities, equipment banks, building studios, and film education institutes across Jammu Kashmir to ensure complete end-to-end production ecosystems.”
For Abdullah, cinema is not “merely entertainment, but an official industry.”
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)