Verite Film Festival is an annual film festival of Kashmiri cinema held in Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
History Its first edition (2011) was organized by Parallel Post in collaboration with Islamic University of Science & Technology (IUST), Awantipora and was held annually thereafter. It was the first National Students Film festival in Kashmir. The festival is aimed to explore the budding talent among the students in the field of film making. Twenty-two films were screened in the first edition of the film festival dealing with various ‘hard-hitting and pressing issues’ such as livelihood issues, loss of tradition and heritage, conflict and its various facets of presentation, drug abuse etc.Verite Film Festival at IUST
Aim of the festival The objective of organizing this Film festival is to groom the potential of the young documentary film makers across the country and particularly from the Kashmir valley. Moreover, the festival will provide a launch pad for Kashmiri discourse whereby the upcoming student film makers will meet and interact with the established film makers and students throughout the country.
2011
In this year 22 films directed by young artists were screened dealing with various ‘hard-hitting and pressing issues’. Most of the films screened in the festival were about the Kashmir conflict and its various facets of presentation, livelihood issues, loss of tradition and heritage, drug abuse etc.
A short animated movie ‘Hopscotch’ by cartoonist Malik Sajad revealed the story of divided Kashmir. Another documentary 'Patience on trial' by Naureen Farooq revolved around the wishes, hopes and needs of orphans.
The film In Limbo, Kashmiris Half-widows, a film by human rights lawyer Lebul Nissa, followed the "half-widows" of Kashmir, women whose husbands have disappeared in the context of the Kashmir conflict.Since 1989, when armed conflict started in Kashmir, more than 8,000 people have disappeared after their arrest by the law enforcing agencies. Majority of them are non-combatant Kashmirs. The disappeared of Kashmir
The event was first of its kinds and was praised by many dignitaries present at the festival. Noted poet Poet Zareef Ahmed Zareef expressed joy and said there is a dire need of noble teachers who will lead budding talent into the right direction. "The way they presented the various aspects of Kashmir is admirable. God has gifted Kashmir with the best talent. The day will definitely come when we will produce the better film makers to show the true story of our Land".
Awards
In total, 22 films were screened. Life on Wheels by Adil Shah won the award for the best film. Pankh by Nishant was adjudged the second prize winner and the third prize was given to three films - Lost by Ather Mohiuddin, Hopskotch by Malik Sajjad, and Eidiyaan by Muhammad Irfan Dar and Aman Kaleem.
Films Screened
Film DirectorDurationDetailsAwards Behind the Darkness Akif Mufti 30 min. Explores the Islamic world in the Middle Ages, when there was tremendous intellectual activity The Ninth Act (special screening) Ali Emraann Kureshi 25 min. Experiment Pandiths Mehak Fayaz 16 min. Follows Kashmiri pundits who did not leave Kashmir after militancy started in 1989. The documentary tries to look into the various aspects of their life in Kashmir, which unlike the migrant is mostly unreported. Sailing Through generations Benish Ali Bhat 15 min. Documents the lives of shikarawalas and life in the ake city. Dal Lake Turfat ul ain 6 min About Dal Lake. Stairs of Faith Jamshed Rasul and Team. 7 min. Depicts the faith of Kashmirs in the Shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom popularly known in Kashmir as Makhdoom Sahab(R.A). Charare Sharief - 7 min. Travelogue Dreams of Despair Nayeem Raja 5 min. - I love you maa Harris Zargar 6 min. About crèche going children. Life on Wheels (Best Film) Adil shah 9 min. Follows the life of a bus conductor. Lost- The unending Search Athar Mohi-ud-din 24 min. Documents the misery of families whose relatives were disappeared in the Kashmir conflict.Tied for 3rd Drug De-addiction Nayeem Khan 9 min. Focuses on the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Hopscotch Malik Sajad 2 min. Animated shortTied for 3rd Half widows Leb ul Nisa 2 min. Discusses women in Kashmir. Pankh (2nd Prize winner) Nishant Rana 6 min. Q-What makes a man fly? Ans.- A dream Raaga Chirag Thakkar 6 min. A spiritual commentary on the essence of life. Follows a man in his thirties and a stranger who helps him move on. Zadah Sushant. H. W. 13 min. Docu-fiction, Zadah -A socio-political love story. An attempt to understand and explain the prolonged and complex issue of the state of Kashmir personified as a woman oppressed between two patriarchal hypocrite society(s). The role of the media. And a question.Heritage Lost Rohi Jehan 8 min. Follows modern-day sericulture in Kashmir Lungi vs Jeans (Special screening) Nasir Ali Khan aka RJ Nasir - A humorous film comparing jeans and lungi culture. Patience on trial Naureen Farooq - This movie is about Orphans. Eidyaan M. Irfan Dar 18 min. Drama about a lost brother whose return is awaited in a household for over nine years.Tied for 3rd Land of no return M. Gowhar Bhat 13 min.About Tibetan refugees in India.
See also Kashmiri cinema Dogri cinema Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages
Notes and references
External links The Parallel Post – An e-magazine