Second edition of Jammu Film Festival announced, to be held in Mar 2022
Institutes K L Saigal award for excellence in cinema from this year
Jammu, October 16, 2021: Second edition of Jammu Film Festival was announced in a well organised press briefing today at the Press Club Jammu. “The journey starts from today with the call for entries and will culminate into a 2 day event during March 2022. It will be bigger and better compared to its predecessor edition held in 2019. We are committed to raise the bar with every edition. This year we have included feature films also in the competition besides the short films and documentaries” disclosed the organisers of the festival.
The team of advisors and festival director Rohit Bhat was present during the press briefing. Talking to the media persons, Shiben Krishen Kaul, Ex Dy Chairman, Secretary to Board of Jawahar Lal Nehru Port Trust, Mumbai and Advisor of the festival said that there is a need to put Jammu on the world map for its potential with regards to Arts in general and films in particular. With the successful first edition Jammu film festival has already arrived on the circuit of international film festivals.
“After the success of the first edition in 2019 we were very excited to do the second edition in the following year but because of the pandemic we had to postpone it. Now we are all set to do the second edition in its full glory. We didn’t want to do a virtual event because this festival is all about the people of Jammu and Jammu region on the whole. Doing it virtually would have taken away its sheer essence for the lack of participation of people of Jammu and the enthusiasm on the ground that we got to see in 2019.”, said the festival director Rohit Bhat who is also an accomplished director.
Sanjay Saraf, another advisor, who is the national general secretary and spokesperson of LJP said that such initiatives need to be encouraged in JK UT which channelise youth in positive direction while bringing name and fame to the city at the same time. The administration and other bodies should extend all the support to this wonderful initiative, he added.
Any medium of art has a potential to usher in big and positive changes in society. I have experienced that first hand in the community radio space with my community radio service. Cinema has tremendous potential to bring in positive influences and film festivals are a great way to celebrate cinema, said Ramesh Hangloo, an advisor of the festival who is also the founder director of Radio Sharda.
Sandhya Gupta, a noted social activist of Jammu and founder of WCMP appreciated the initiative of Bhat brothers and said as an advisor to the festival she is proud to be associated with such an initiative which puts Jammu on world map.
Famous actors Lalit Parimoo and Mir Sarwar who are part of the Bollywood advisory team wished the participants good luck and appealed to the local filmmakers and aspirants to participate and step up their game.
This edition will also be judged by a competent jury headed by noted actor and director Mushtaq Kak. Other members of the jury include Director Raahul Sharma (Geetiyan fame), Film producer Kapil Matoo, Film critic Amit Singh and Actor Lalit Parimoo.
A special category to promote local talent would continue to exist. It will be a 2 day event and will also feature workshops on acting, writing and direction. Bollywood presence is also expected as was in the first edition. It will be worthwhile to mention here that the first edition received around 160 entries from 17 countries. 37 shortlisted entries were screened over 2 days in Abhinav Theatre Jammu in front of a jam packed audience. Several workshop were also held besides the award ceremony which felicitated the winners.
The festival has been organised by Vomedh a reputed non-profit working in the field of promotion of art, culture and cinema. It is supported by Roots in Fateh Kadal Entertainment
The core team includes Educationist Ajatshatru Kotwal, Actor Director Manzoor Ahmad Mir, Social Activist & President Asha the care foundation Bhavna Pandita, Technologist Rahul Pandit, Director Atlas events Aamir Farooq, Vice President Vomedh Bharti Kaul and Meenakshi Rakesh Bhat
“Jammu has given Bollywood its first superstar K L Saigal. Hence, we are instituting K L Saigal award from this edition to commemorate the contribution of Jammu to Indian Film Industry”, informed Rakesh Roshan Bhat, the festival director. “Entries can be submitted online through the website www.jammufilmfestival.
