SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 08: Five films by directors from Jammu and Kashmir have been selected for the J&K Select Section, the competitive category of the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026.
The films were shortlisted by the festival’s Preview Committee after evaluating submissions on artistic merit and their suitability for the competitive section. The selection features diverse narratives centred on the region’s cultural heritage, social realities and human experiences.
The selected films are Searching for the Grandpa, directed by Mohammad Wali; Arifa, directed by Rohin Ravendran Nair; Batt Koch (The Lost Lane), directed by Siddarth Koul and Ankit Wali; Tasrufdaar (Djinns of Kashmir), directed by Kapil Mattoo; and Naqsh-e-Daur (The Story of Ghulam Nabi Dhar), directed by Baba Tassaduq Hussain.
Spanning Kashmiri and Hindi, the films explore themes including childhood, family, memory, displacement, identity, heritage, resilience and Kashmir’s changing social landscape.
Searching for the Grandpa follows two young siblings in a Kashmiri village during Eid, while Arifa revolves around a woman returning to her ancestral home and confronting memories of her childhood and father.
Batt Koch explores displacement, identity and the enduring idea of home through a Kashmiri migrant family. Tasrufdaar (Djinns of Kashmir) combines mystery and memory while reflecting on the scars of Kashmir’s past.
Naqsh-e-Daur portrays the life and legacy of Padma Shri awardee and woodcarver Ghulam Nabi Dhar, highlighting Kashmir’s traditional craftsmanship, cultural heritage and resilience.
The five films will be screened as part of the competitive programming of the four-day festival, providing audiences and filmmakers a platform to experience distinctive cinematic voices emerging from Jammu and Kashmir.
