Submit Your Film For Screening Selection

The First International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026 is organised by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

• To promote the culture of Jammu & Kashmir through Cinema.

• To promote artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and cinematic innovation by exhibiting and recognising outstanding films from around the world.

• To contribute to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations within the context of their social and cultural ethos.

• To promote friendship and cooperation among the people of the world through the medium of cinema.

• Date & Venue: The first edition of IFFJK 2026 will be held from 7th to 10th September 2026 in Jammu & Kashmir, India.

• Submission Period: Entries open on 1st July 2026 and close on 30th July 2026 (23:59 IST).

A. Competition Section

1. International Competition for Feature Films (Indian Films will also be selected for this section.)

2. Competition for Best Debut Feature Film of a Director: Open to a director’s first feature film.

3. J&K Select: showcase of films from, about, or significantly connected with Jammu & Kashmir.

B. Non-Competition Section

1. Feature sections

● Cinema of the World: curated showcase of significant contemporary international cinema

● Horror Film Section: curated section dedicated to horror, supernatural, dark fantasy, and related genre cinema

2. Non-Feature sections

● Documentary / Hybrid: curated section dedicated to documentary and factual cinema

● Short Film: covers narrative, experimental, documentary, music videos, travelogue, student films, and more

● Bharat Panorama: for Indian Feature & Non-feature Corporate and Advertising films are not eligible to apply in any of the aforementioned sections.

Corporate and Advertising films are not eligible to apply in any of the aforementioned sections.

4.1 International Competition:

Films entered in the International Competition must fulfil the following conditions:

Format and Eligibility

● Films must be feature-length works of not less than 70 minutes in duration, with an original language soundtrack and English subtitles.

● Films must have been completed between 1st June 2024 to 30th June 2026.

● Eligibility will be determined by the declaration made by the entrant in the official entry form.

● For international entries where official certification is unavailable, the date of the first public/theatrical screening or a formal self-declaration will be considered.

Co-productions: In the case of co-productions, the entrant must possess the legal right to authorise the film's participation in the International Competition and to authorise the receipt of awards on the film's behalf.

Award Acknowledgement: Entrants agree that if their film wins an award at IFFJK 2026, all future theatrical screenings, prints, and digital distributions shall prominently acknowledge the award on the film itself.

Selection and Programming: The Festival Management reserves the right to consider films not selected for the International Competition for inclusion in other categories, if eligible.

4.2 Best Debut Film of a Director

Eligible films must:

● Be the first film directed by the filmmaker; Co-directors must each satisfy the debut requirement.

● Must adhere to all eligibility criteria as per the International Competition Section.

4.3 Jammu & Kashmir Select:

To qualify for this regional showcase, films must satisfy at least one of the following criteria:

● Produced by a production house based in Jammu & Kashmir.

● Directed by a filmmaker originating from/domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir.

● Primarily shot(more than 50 per cent of the shoot) within the geographical territories of Jammu & Kashmir.

● Substantially focus on themes, histories, cultural traditions, or communities of Jammu & Kashmir.

5.1 Cinema of the World:

A non-competition section for feature films from around the world, including both fiction and documentaries, with a minimum duration of 70 minutes.

● Fiction or Documentary(70 minutes or longer)

● Completed between 1st June 2024 to 30th June 2026

5.2 Bharat Panorama:

Bharat Panorama covers the best of contemporary Indian feature and non-feature films, selected for their cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence.

The primary aim is to promote Indian film art through non-profit screenings across three platforms — international film festivals held in India and abroad, Indian Film Weeks under bilateral cultural exchange programmes, and special Indian Panorama festivals held within India.

5.3 Horror Film Section:

Works must explicitly belong to horror, supernatural, gothic, dark fantasy, or psychological thriller traditions.

5.4 Documentary/Hybrid:

Eligible works must be grounded in real-world subject matter and structured through one or more recognised documentary approaches.

● Filmmaking based on real events or subjects

● Archival work drawing on existing footage or historical material

● Hybrid forms that blend documentary and fictional or experimental elements

● Observational/Experimental filmmaking that captures subjects as they naturally unfold without scripted intervention.

Duration:

● Feature films must not be less than 70 minutes in duration.

● Short films must be more than 1 minute and not exceeding 35 minutes.

● Non-feature/Documentary/Hybrid films may be of any length.

Production period: All categories or submissions: Feature films, Short films, and Non-Feature/Documentary/Hybrid — must have been produced between 1st June 2024 and 30th June 2026, except Special Screenings/Curated Sections, where the festival programming department reserves the sole discretion to showcase films of any production time period.

Language and Subtitles: All films must be submitted in their original version with embedded English subtitles and a separate subtitle file, regardless of category; whether feature, short, or non-feature/documentary/hybrid. For films originally in English, English subtitles are preferred as well.

Submission Authority: Entries may only be submitted by producers, directors, authorised sales agents, authorised distributors, or individuals holding legal authority to submit the film. The Festival may request proof of authorisation at any stage.

Screening History: Films that have been publicly exhibited, theatrically released, broadcast, streamed, or screened at other festivals may be considered, unless otherwise specified for a particular competition section. The Festival reserves the right to determine the significance of a film's premiere status, while finalising the programme.

A film's premiere status must be accurately declared at the time of submission; any misrepresentation may result in disqualification with a penalty.

Multiple Entries: A producer, company, or filmmaker may submit multiple films. Each film requires a separate submission.

The awards for the International Competition section shall comprise:

1. Best Film

2. Best Director

3. Best Actor (Male)

4. Best Actor (Female)

5. Technical Awards

a. Best Cinematography

b. Best Sound Design

c. Best Editing

6. Best Debut Film of a Director

7. Best Film - Jammu & Kashmir Select

Special Mention Awards:

This is a category to accommodate exceptional entries that deserve exclusive acknowledgement despite not being awarded as per the categories cited above. Films selected for this award are the sole and absolute choice and discretion of the members of the Jury board for the international competition section cited in the guideline.

Please Note: The special mention award section is exclusively restricted to entries in the international competition section cited above. Neither non-competition films/entries nor invited film/entries shall qualify for this particular section of award.

Selection process: All eligible films will be viewed by the programming department and finalised in accordance with the Festival Preview Committee, which determines eligibility, section placement, competition status, and official selection. The decisions of the Festival are final, and no correspondence regarding selection decisions will be entertained. The Jury holds the sole discretion to confer awards.

●Selected films must provide screening materials from August 21, 2026, to August 30, 2026.

● Failure to meet technical delivery deadlines may result in withdrawal from the programme.

Preferred Format: The Digital Cinema Package (DCP) must be submitted exclusively via an online file transfer platform as specified by the Festival Programming Department. Submission of DCPs through physical media or courier shall not be accepted.

* Note - physical submission of films only allowed from the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

This exemption is granted by the festival programming department to the filmmakers/producers or applicants who reside in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

The physical submission process will be conveyed to the applicants from the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir through - iffjk.programming@gmail.com

The J&K Applicants who are unable to submit their films online are requested to individually contact the email id cited above.

Alternative Formats: High-bitrate MP4

KDM Requirements

Where encrypted DCPs are supplied, KDMs must remain valid for:

● Technical testing periods;

● Festival screening dates; and

● Any officially scheduled repeat screenings.

The Festival reserves the right to reject files that do not meet exhibition standards.

Insurance: The entrant shall be solely responsible for arranging and maintaining insurance coverage for all DCPs and other screening materials during transit(online) to and from the Festival. The Festival, its organisers, officers, employees, and representatives shall not assume any liability for loss, damage, delay, theft, or destruction occurring during transportation.

Film Materials

Selected films shall provide:

1. Log Line & Synopsis(maximum 250 words)

2. Director biography(maximum 100 words)

3. Directors Note(maximum 150 words)

4. Directors Photograph

5. Production Stills

6. Film Poster(s), if any.

7. Film trailer, if any.

9.1 Festival Screening Rights

1. By accepting an invitation to participate, rights holders grant the Festival a non-exclusive right to screen the selected film during the Festival.

2. No screening fee shall be payable. The Festival shall not make the film available for public online streaming without the prior written consent of the rights holder.

9.2 Archival and Cultural Preservation Copy:

For selected films, the Festival may request a separate viewing copy for non-commercial archival, research, educational, and cultural preservation purposes. Provision of such a copy shall be voluntary unless otherwise agreed in writing with the rights holder. Any archival use shall be non-commercial and shall not include public exhibition without prior authorisation from the rights holder.

9.3 Rights Granted to the Festival

By submitting a film, the rights holder grants the Festival the non-exclusive right to:

● Screen the film during the Festival;

● Use stills, posters, trailers, and publicity materials to promote the Festival.

9.4 Withdrawal Policy

● Once a film has been officially selected and the rights holder confirms participation, it shall not be withdrawn from the festival programme before or during the event.

● Withdrawal post-selection may lead to a penalty of 2000 USD or disqualification from future editions of the Festival, or both at the discretion of the Festival Management.

9.5 Liability:

The Festival shall exercise reasonable care in handling screening materials. However, the Festival shall not be liable for loss, theft, damage, or technical failure beyond its reasonable control. Participants are encouraged to maintain backup copies of all submitted materials.

No screening fees shall be payable for any selected entries.

Acceptance of Regulations: Submission of a film constitutes unconditional acceptance of these Rules and Regulations. The IFFJK Festival team reserves the right to make final decisions regarding the interpretation and implementation of these regulations.

Festival rights: The Festival reserves the right to determine award categories, appoint juries, amend awards, and withhold awards where it deems appropriate. Participation in the Festival implies full acceptance of these rules and regulations.

iffjk.programming@gmail.com