Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra has expressed hope that the inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) will open the Union Territory to international cinema while giving local filmmakers a platform to tell their own stories.

Speaking at the opening of IFFJK at the SKICC in Srinagar yesterday, Chopra, according to a PTI report, called the festival a “homecoming” and said he was grateful to the government for initiating the event.

The filmmaker, known for films such as ‘Parinda’, ‘Mission Kashmir’ and ‘12th Fail’, also urged young filmmakers from the Valley to pick up a camera and start making films.

“There is so much talent in Kashmir,” Chopra said, describing the festival as a major opportunity for local filmmakers and students to connect with leading artists and showcase their work.

Actor Fatima Sana Sheikh, who hosted the festival, echoed the sentiment, saying regional cinema allows audiences to experience places through the eyes of people who belong to them rather than through an outsider’s perspective.

Meanwhile, an ANI report added that the film fest aims to provide a common platform for local and international filmmakers to showcase their films, ideas and creative work.

It also gives audiences an opportunity to experience different kinds of cinema.

A major focus of the festival is to promote the stories, culture and filmmaking talent of Jammu and Kashmir.

Local filmmakers will get an opportunity to present their work to a wider audience.

The event also encourages interaction between filmmakers from J&K and professionals from the national and international film industry.