‘HFF will open new opportunities for the youth of Ladakh’
Leh, Sept 24:
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur today inaugurated the star studded five-day ‘First Himalayan Film Festival’ at Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra, Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh. The five-day film festival is a part of the celebrations of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence. The film festival is expected to have an active participation from the local filmmakers and will showcase talent and skills across12 Himalayan states and UTs. Union Minister, The Minister in his address congratulated the entire team for making this dream film festival a success in this Himalayan Region which will open new opportunities for the youth of Ladakh. The Minister also said that the mountains of India will be given a new identity under PM Shri Narendra Modi and this will be done using the Indian Film Industry.
Minister said, ‘There is tremendous traffic on OTT platforms and a good number of opportunities will be created for the whole of India be that the smaller north eastern states or UTs of Ladakh or J&K which will be seen very shortly on the international Film Platforms’. Praising the people of Ladakh for their valour, the Minister said that the people of the Himalayan Region has made a lot of sacrifices for motherland and many Param Vir Chakra winners from the Himalayan Region. As a tribute to the sacrifices made by the war heroes, the opening of a film at the Film Festival was “Shershaah” which depicts the life of a soldier, his valour and love for his motherland.
Thakur said that with a view to create more opportunities for people of the region, Ladakh would be joined with the FTII so that the opportunities will come at the door steps of the people of J&K and Ladakh. The Minister also said that the day is not far when the filmmakers from Ladakh will showcase their talent at the Goa International Film Festival. The Minister assured that the sports infrastructure including those for ice hockey ring will be developed on modern lines in Leh. He further said that the time of Ladakhi programs on DD Kashir would be doubled.
Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Member of Parliament from Leh in his address praised the efforts of the Ministry of I&B and the administration of the UT of Ladakh for organizing this first ‘Himalayan Film Festival’ in Ladakh. He further said that the organisation of this festival will create new vistas for the talented youth of Ladakh at the national and international platforms. Praising the efforts of PM, Narendra Modi for creating a new dawn of development for the UT of Ladakh after becoming UT, Namgyal said that Ladakh is making great strides in education, economy, health, infrastructure etc. now and the day is not far when Ladakh will be among the top most UTs in terms of development index in the country.
LG, Ladakh, R K Mathur while delivering his address said that movies are things of interconnection & the genesis of organising this film festival was to enthuse the best of talent from Ladakh for the national and international platforms and for garnering of the skills of youth of Ladakh in photography, film, heritage and culture.
‘Shershaah’, the biographical war movie based on ‘Param Vir Chakra’ awardee Captain Vikram Batra was also screened during the opening ceremony in presence of its Director, Vishnuvardhan and the lead actor Sidharth Malhotra.
He also inaugurated exhibition on Freedom Fighters of Himalayan States as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav and best of Indian Cinema with a focus on Himalayan region orgainsed by Regional Outreach Bureau, J&K and Ladakh region.
The inaugural event was attended by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, producer and director, Anupama Chopra, CEC LAHDC Ladakh, Tashi Gyalson, jury members of the festival Manju Bora, Raja Shabir Khan and G P Vijay Kumar.
Besides screening of popular award winning films at the Sindhu Sanskriti Auditorium, Leh to enthral the audience and film buffs, the film festival will be organizing a diverse set of workshops and master classes wherein filmmakers, critics, technicians from the Himalayan Region have been invited to impart knowledge and skill to the local film enthusiasts.
The ‘Himalayan Film Festival’ also envisions institutionalizing a Himalayan Film Fraternity which will have productive repercussions for filmmaking in the Himalayan parts of India.
