
Ahead of the upcoming sixth edition of the Kashmir World Film Festival (KWFF), founder-director Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan stated that a special emphasis will be put on filmmakers from the valley. Speaking to ANI, the festival director shared, “I have always organised it as a seven-day event. However, there will be a special emphasis on filmmakers from Jammu & Kashmir, and their films will be screened... I aim for inclusivity, wanting the artist community to join in... I want the next edition of the Kashmir World Film Festival to focus specifically on films from Jammu & Kashmir.”
On the impact of the film festival for those participating in the festival, he shared how many received awards and students with films being screened at the festival editions. “Kids who came to our first and second editions, workshops, and master classes - their films ended up at our own festival in the next edition, and the jury gave them awards. Those who took our master classes, or whoever was associated with us, have become good filmmakers in Kashmir; some have gone to Bombay and even outside,” he added.
Earlier, while addressing a press conference, Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan reflected on the previous editions of the film festivals. “I have done five editions of the Kashmir World Film Festival in Srinagar. Preparations are now underway for the sixth edition. We receive films from various countries like the US, Italy, Spain, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan, Poland, Turkey, and Korea,” he said.
The Kashmir World Film Festival will be held in November this year, with several Bollywood A-listers expected to mark their attendance, including the likes of Manoj Bajpayee, Hema Malini, Raza Murad, and Raj Babbar among others. (ANI)