Srinagar , August 19 ,2026 – The International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) is set to make its debut from September 7 to 10, 2026, with preparations underway across Srinagar and Jammu. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday convened a high-level review meeting to assess arrangements for the four-day cinematic showcase.With just over two weeks to go before curtains rise on the first-ever International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday convened a high-level review meeting to take stock of preparations for the four-day cinematic showcase, set to unfold across Srinagar and Jammu from September 7 to 10.
The festival is being pitched by the administration as a flagship platform aimed at promoting cultural exchange, creative collaboration and fresh filmmaking talent, while opening doors for the region’s film industry to build ties with counterparts from around the world. Officials say the event will also serve as a shop window for Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural and cinematic legacy.
Briefing the Chief Minister, Commissioner Secretary for Information R Alice Vaz outlined the festival’s programming, which spans several competitive and non-competitive sections — including an International Competition category, Cinema of the World, Bharat Panorama, J&K Select, Best Debut Film, and dedicated slots for documentaries, hybrid works and short films. Beyond screenings, the lineup includes masterclasses, panel discussions, in-conversation sessions, round tables and workshops featuring filmmakers, actors, critics and scholars.
Venue readiness formed a key part of the discussion. The meeting reviewed arrangements at the festival’s main sites — the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), INOX Shivpora in Srinagar, and Waves Cinema in Jammu — along with plans for a floating cinema at Lalit Ghat, an experiential addition meant to lend the festival a distinctly Kashmiri flavour. Officials also discussed a proposed excursion to Gulmarg for a select group of visiting filmmakers, with stops planned at the Gondola, the Golf Course and the Gulmarg Club, among other attractions.
Abdullah underscored the importance of close coordination between departments and insisted that all logistical arrangements be finalised well before the festival begins, so that filmmakers, delegates and audiences have a smooth experience throughout. He directed departments and agencies to remain on standby and ensure readiness across the board.
The Chief Minister also called for the festival to prominently spotlight the region’s heritage — its cuisine, handicrafts, traditional art forms and popular tourist destinations — positioning IFFJK not merely as a film event but as a broader cultural showcase. He said careful planning and coordinated execution among all stakeholders would be key to establishing the festival as a recurring fixture on the international film calendar.
Security and traffic management, airport facilitation, hospitality and protocol, accommodation, transport, medical cover, power supply, sanitation and general venue upkeep were among the operational areas reviewed at the meeting. To streamline coordination with guests, dedicated liaison and nodal officers are being appointed.
The Information Department has been assigned responsibility for maintaining a consolidated tracker of departmental duties, deadlines and pending action items, in addition to handling invitations, participant logistics and media coordination. The meeting also touched on plans for a wide-ranging publicity push across print, electronic, digital and outdoor media at both the regional and national level.
Organisers expect the festival to draw filmmakers, artists, storytellers, industry figures, policymakers, academics and audiences from India and abroad, creating a space for networking and collaboration centred on cinema. Abdullah reiterated that IFFJK should stand out as a marquee international event reflecting Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural depth and creative promise, while giving local and emerging filmmakers a meaningful platform.
The review meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, and a wide array of senior officials including the Additional Chief Secretaries for Finance and Tourism, secretaries for Education, Culture, Transport, and Hospitality & Protocol, the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and top police officials. Several outstation officers joined the proceedings via video conferencing, with departments briefing the Chief Minister on the current status of preparations and pending action points.
