STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Hundreds of students thronged workshops by award-winning directors in border districts of Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu as part of an Indian Army initiative to impart film-making training and empower youths in the region’s far-flung areas.
Rahat Kazmi and Tariq Khan conducted interactive film-making workshops for youths from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in far-flung locations such as Surankote, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu, officials said.
The first-ever Dil Maange More Short Film Festival, curated by Captain Rahul Bali, is an initiative of the Indian Army’s Northern Command in association with Innovations India. The initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of reiterating the importance of ‘nation building’, Defence Spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.
Speaking at the workshop, Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Ramesh Kumar said it was heartening to see that film-making was not only limited to Mumbai.
“The administration will take forward this journey to far-flung areas to empower the youth,” he said.
“The Dil Maange More Short Film Festival is dedicated to the independent, talented and discerning film-makers from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh who crave to showcase their craft to the world,” Captain Bali said.
He said the month-long film festival would culminate with a finale on December 16 at the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur where dignitaries, including renowned film personalities would be present to give away awards to the winners. The competition’s top five directors will be mentored by award-winning film-makers Imtiaz Ali, Rahul Mittra, Umesh Shukla and Kazmi and Khan.
The winning films will be showcased at international Indian film festivals curated by Captain Bali, Kazmi said.