Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Anurag Thakur will inaugurate the first Himalayan Film Festival on 24th September, 2021. The festival spanning five days is being held at Leh, Ladakh from 24th to 28th September 2021.
The inaugural of the festival will witness the presence of makers and cast of the super hit movie Shershah, including Director Shri Vishnuvardhan and the lead actor Shri Siddharth Malhotra. Shershah is also the opening feature film of the festival.
The festival will comprise of various segments to enthrall the audience and film buffs alike, viz:
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- Screening┬аof┬аpopular┬аfilms┬аduring┬аthe┬а5-day┬аfestival.
A┬аpackage┬аof┬аcontemporary┬аNational┬аawards┬аand┬аIndian┬аpanorama┬аselected┬аfilms┬аwill┬аbe┬аshowcased at the event. The screenings will be at the Sindhu Sankriti Auditorium, Leh┬аhaving┬аdigital┬аprojection┬аfacilities.
2. Workshops, Masterclasses, and In-Conversation sessions
A diverse set of workshops and masterclasses will be organized wherein filmmakers, critics,┬аtechnicians┬аfrom┬аthe┬аHimalayan┬аregion┬аshall┬аbe┬аinvited┬аto┬аimpart┬аknowledge┬аand┬аskill┬аto┬аlocal┬аfilm┬аenthusiasts.┬аThis┬аwill┬аserve┬аas┬аa┬аnecessary┬аstimulus┬аto┬аignite┬аa┬аcreative┬аleaning┬аtowards┬аfilmmaking.
3. Competition section- Short and documentary film competition
Short┬аFilms┬аand┬аShort┬аDocumentaries┬аhave┬аbeen┬аinvited┬аin┬аthe┬аCompetition┬аSection.┬аThe┬аAwards┬аare for Best Film to be given to Director and Producer, Best Cinematography, Best Editor & Best┬аStory.
Along with the above components the film festival will also cater to various palette of the audience with
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- Food┬аfestival:┬аThe cuisine of the different region of Ladakh is unique owing to its distinct geography and┬аweather conditions. The festival venue shall accommodate the food festival during the period of┬аfive days.
┬╖ Cultural Shows: Cultural shows shall be held in collaboration with the Department of culture to showcase the rich cultural varsity of Ladakh.
┬╖ Music Fest: Young Musicians of Ladakh have been invited to do shows at the venue
The┬аHimalayan┬аregion┬аof┬аIndia┬аattracts┬аfilmmakers┬аfrom┬аall┬аaround┬аthe┬аglobe┬аdue┬аto┬аits┬аunique┬аscenic┬аendowment.┬аThe┬аunique┬аgeography┬аof┬аthe┬аregion┬аis┬аwidely┬аdocumented┬аalong┬аwith┬аits┬аindigenous┬аpeople,┬аtraditional┬аskills,┬аand┬аoccupations.┬аFilm┬аfestival┬аin┬аthis┬аcontext┬аpresents┬аan┬аopportunity┬аfor┬аthe┬аlocal┬аfilmmakers┬аto┬аnarrate┬аtheir stories┬аto┬аa wider audience.
In┬аthe┬аlast┬аtwo┬аdecades,┬аthe┬аIndependent┬аfilm┬аindustry┬аin┬аthe┬аregion┬аhas taken┬аshape┬аwith┬аfilmmakers┬аproducing┬аlocal-language┬аfilms.┬аThe┬аsame┬аperiod has┬аalso┬аseen┬аrapid┬аelectrification┬аin┬аthe┬аregion┬аwhich┬аis┬аthe┬аprerequisite┬аfor┬аthe┬аdevelopment of the┬аaudio-visual sector.
With these developments, a popular film produced in India reaches Ladakh but stories from┬аLadakh┬аstill┬аremain┬аuntold,┬аespecially┬аfrom┬аthe┬аperspective┬аof┬аlocal┬аfilmmakers.┬аFilm┬аworkshops, masterclasses, and in-conversation sessions in this context will impart necessary┬аskills┬аand networking┬аopportunities┬аto┬аbudding┬аas┬аwell┬аas┬аestablished filmmakers.
The┬аHimalayan┬аFilm┬аfestival┬аalso┬аenvisions┬аinstitutionalizing┬аa┬аHimalayan┬аfilm┬аfraternity which will have productive repercussions for filmmaking in the Himalayan parts of┬аIndia. Popular films from the Himalayan region and other filmmaking states of India will be┬аshowcased during┬аthe┬а5-day festival.
Jury of the Competition Section
- Mrs. Manju Borah, Chairperson (Assam)
- Mr. G.P Vijayakumar, Member (Tamil Nadu)
- Mr. Raja Shabir Khan, Member (Jammu & Kashmir)