Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Srinagar Film Festival Faces Criticism Over Exclusion and Mismanagement
Srinagar hosted its first international film festival this week.
The event was meant to celebrate movies and help revive cinema in Kashmir.
Many local artists said they were not invited or given enough chances to show their work.
Only a small number of Kashmiri films appeared in the main programme.
Some filmmakers also said screenings had technical problems and that staff could not explain who was responsible.
Journalists said they were denied access even though some regularly covered government events.
Festival organisers said the programme was designed to show films from around the world.
They also said the festival went well overall but could improve.
Critics want future festivals to include more local artists, welcome the media and be better organised.
The inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir faced criticism from local filmmakers, artists, journalists and cultural observers.
Critics said Kashmiri talent was sidelined, with only a handful of regional-language films included among more than 100 screenings.
Filmmaker Abhilash Sharma said his film Swaha was removed from the World Cinema lineup without explanation and later assigned an unsuitable venue.
Attendees reported flickering projections, misplaced subtitles, interrupted screenings, poor attendance and unclear festival leadership.
Organisers called the festival a successful beginning while acknowledging that future editions require substantial improvement and engagement.
- Who
- The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations organised the festival; local filmmakers, artists, journalists and cultural observers criticised it.
- What
- The inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir drew complaints about local exclusion, technical failures, media access and organisation.
- When
- The festival was held this week; the article does not specify exact dates.
- Where
- Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Why
- Organisers presented it as a cultural revival and global film showcase, while critics said it failed to support local talent and was poorly managed.
Critics and Local Stakeholders
Festival Organisers
Support for Kashmiri talent
Critics and Local Stakeholders
Local artists and filmmakers said they were sidelined, with too few Kashmiri films and insufficient invitations, consultation or access.
Festival Organisers
Organisers said the selections were curated to present a diverse global range of genres and narratives.
Festival performance
Critics and Local Stakeholders
Filmmakers and attendees described technical failures, poor coordination, unclear responsibility and inadequate treatment of participating films.
Festival Organisers
Festival director Shreya Singhal said the event received a rousing response and went absolutely well, while acknowledging scope for improvement.
Media access
Critics and Local Stakeholders
Journalists and press freedom advocates said access restrictions, including pending police verification, limited transparency and excluded local media.
Festival Organisers
The article does not report a detailed public response from festival officials to the media-access criticism.
- Festival
- First International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir, also referred to as IFFJK.
- Organiser
- Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations.
- Film programme
- More than 100 films were screened, but critics said only a handful were Kashmiri or regional-language projects.
- Film dispute
- Abhilash Sharma said his award-winning film Swaha was removed from the World Cinema lineup without notice or explanation.
- Technical problems
- Attendees reported flickering or interrupted screenings, jittering images and subtitles slipping out of frame.
- Media access
- Several journalists, including some accredited with the organising department, were denied entry, often because of pending police verification.
- Official response
- Secretary Information Muneer-ul-Islam called the festival a good beginning, while festival director Shreya Singhal said it went absolutely well but had room for improvement.