Jammu, July 10: The fifth edition of the Jammu Film Festival has received an impressive response from filmmakers across the world, with 180 film entries from 35 countries submitted ahead of the July 31 deadline, organisers said on Friday.
The submissions include 130 short films, 35 documentaries and 17 feature films, showcasing a wide range of cultures, languages and storytelling traditions. Organisers expect more entries before the submission window closes later this month.
The two-day festival is scheduled to be held on September 28–29, 2026, in Jammu.
Jury head Kapil Mattoo said the growing number of international submissions reflects the festival’s rising recognition among independent filmmakers and its emergence as one of North India’s prominent international film festivals.
Jointly organised by Vomedh and Koshurwood Studio, the festival is expected to bring together filmmakers, delegates, artists and cinema enthusiasts from India and abroad.
According to the organisers, delegates from several countries, including the United States, have expressed interest in attending the festival. Discussions are also underway with performers from Singapore for the event’s cultural programme.
Festival directors Rakesh Roshan Bhat and Rohit Bhat said the event was launched with the vision of connecting Jammu with the global film community through cinema and promoting cultural exchange.
Sanjeev Kak of Koshurwood Studio said the festival has evolved into an important cultural platform, helping strengthen ties between Jammu and filmmakers from around the world while encouraging meaningful cinema.
To ensure a transparent and merit-based selection process, the organisers have announced a three-tier jury system for the 2026 edition.
The screening committee includes Rakesh Roshan Bhat, Rohit Bhat, Kamal Razdan, Suman Pandita, Ifra Kak and Manzoor Mir. The review committee comprises Rahul Sharma, Kusum Tickoo, Rani Bhan, J R Sagar, Dr Kuldeep Raina Sudeshi and Shadab Khan.
The final jury will be led by filmmaker Kapil Mattoo and includes actors Vipin Sharma, Ashwath Bhatt and Tanvir Dar.
The organisers also highlighted the success of the previous four editions, which featured several prominent personalities from the Indian film industry, including M K Raina, Rahul Roy, Yashpal Sharma, Kashmera Shah, Deepika Singh, Ayub Khan, Lalit Parimoo, Mushtaq Kak, Mir Sarwar and Ayaz Khan.(
