Srinagar, September 6 , 2026- The 1st International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026 has announced an accomplished panel of filmmakers, cinematographers, curators and educators who will judge entries at the festival’s inaugural edition, organisers said Sunday.
The jury features cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan, German filmmaker and curator Dorothee Wenner, Japanese documentary producer Keiko Bang, acclaimed Hindi filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, and National Award-winning director Himansu Sekhar Khatua. All five will assess entries across the festival’s competitive sections and determine the eventual award winners.
Adding further star power to the event, veteran filmmakers Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ramesh Sippy will attend as special guests. Sippy, a Padma Shri recipient, remains best known for the blockbuster Sholay, while Chopra — often described as a son of the Kashmir soil — has helmed hits including 3 Idiots, PK and Mission Kashmir.
A Global Mix of Cinematic Expertise
Organisers say the jury’s composition was designed to bring together diverse cinematic perspectives with substantial international experience.
Santosh Sivan, a founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers and an FTII alumnus, was the first cinematographer from the Asia-Pacific region admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers. His work on The Terrorist earned him global recognition, and in 2024 he received the Pierre Angénieux Tribute at Cannes. He has previously chaired jury panels at the International Film Festival of India and served on international juries in Chennai and Busan.
Dorothee Wenner brings decades of association with the Berlin International Film Festival, where she has worked as a programmer and delegate for India and Sub-Saharan Africa since 1990, and once directed the Berlinale Talent Campus. A founding jury member of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, her filmography includes Peace Mission, Drama Consult and Kinshasa Collection.
Keiko Bang, founder and CEO of Bang Singapore Pte. Ltd., has produced more than 50 award-winning documentaries, including Zheng He: Emperor of the Seas and Secrets of the Samurai. She has worked across more than 25 countries on international co-productions and served on the jury of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2024, later joining MIFF 2026’s Institutional National Selection Committee.
Sriram Raghavan, born June 22, 1963, is celebrated for his neo-noir sensibility and sharp thrillers such as Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddaar, Agent Vinod, Badlapur and Andhadhun, cementing his place among contemporary Hindi cinema’s leading auteurs.
Rounding out the panel is Himansu Sekhar Khatua, an FTII graduate and National Film Award winner who has directed films including Shunya Swaropa and Ishanu. A former Director of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Khatua has also served on the Indian Panorama jury at IFFI 2024 and the Features Award Jury at the 2021 Kautik International Film Festival.
A Landmark for Kashmir’s Cinematic Ambitions
Organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Jammu and Kashmir, IFFJK is being positioned as a landmark cultural initiative — one meant to celebrate cinema while offering both established and emerging filmmakers a platform to connect and showcase their work.
Festival officials expect the jury’s combined expertise in cinematography, sound design, documentary filmmaking, curation and film education to lend the inaugural edition credibility and a globally informed lens for evaluating entries.
With its high-profile jury, special guests and a diverse slate of programming, IFFJK 2026 is being billed as a significant step in establishing Jammu and Kashmir as an emerging destination for filmmakers and cinephiles alike.
