By TwoCircles.net news desk
Jammu: A two-day International Film Festival titled, “Faith, Conflict and Peace” organized by Yakjah Reconciliation and Development Network, a voluntary group working for peace building in the region of Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension, University of Jammu concluded here over the weekend at the Zorawar Singh auditorium, University of Jammu.
A series of documentaries under different genres were screened during the first day of the festival like “Cross Lines”, “Independent Intervention”, “In the tall grass”, etc. The audience had the opportunity to watch the award winning film “Amu” which was a special screening on the second day of the film festival today. Other short films which were screened today were “Vishwas ki Goonj”, “Diya in the Dargah”, “Naata” etc.
“Crossing the Lines: Kashmir, Pakistan, India”, a film by Pakistani physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy and Zia Mian is a story of people at war over borders and boundaries. This path-breaking independent documentary film, made in Pakistan, challenges us to look at Kashmir with new eyes and to hope for a new way forward.
“Autumn’s Final Country” by Sonia Jabbar is the touching story of Indu, Zarina, Shahnaz and Anju, four women who suffer displacement in the conflict-ridden Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. While “Wapsi” by Ajay Raina is the journey of an Indian ‘Lover Of Cricket’ who finally manages to go across to the other side of the Line of Control…to journey through the heartland of Pakistan. Another film by Ajay Raina “Tell them the tree they had planted has now grown” is also a powerful film made straight from the heart, is a cinematic diary of a Kashmiri revisiting Kashmir after a twelve year exile to witness the scars of a paradise lost.
A film “Floating Lamp of the Shadow Valley” by Harry Bal, Rajesh S. Jala which is an inspirational documentary and a true story features nine-year-old Kashmir boy Arif, who serves as breadwinner of the family after his Muslim militant father abandons them for the sake of the jihad, toched the hearts of the audience. Through this film the director Jala touches on Arif’s predicament with care and compassion, set in some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world.
A large number of people gathered as audience and made the opening day a success. The audience were hooked onto the films and participated actively during two discussions, ‘Media and Kashmir conflict’ moderated by Mr. Pradeep Dutta (bureau chief, Times Now) and Mr. Arun Joshi (chief of bureau, Hindustan Times) on first day and “Justice and Reconciliation” moderated by advocate Mrs. Seema Shekher and Ms. Ashima Kaul on the second day of the festival. These discussions generated lively discussions among viewer participants and the panel and turned out to be very enlightening.
The Festival was inaugurated by Professor P.S. Pathania, Dean, Student’s Welfare, University of Jammu, Dr. Poonam Dhawan Director, Centre for Adult,Continuing Education and Extension, University of Jammu Ms. Ashima Kaul, Founder member, YAKJAH and Ms. Nalini Kohli (Principal, Government women’s college, Gandhi Nagar), who first together lighted the lamp and then shared with the audience their respective views on the concept and extended their good wishes to Yakjah.
The film festival successfully and fruitfully concluded today with a vote of thanks by the founder member of YAKJAH, Ashima Kaul and Director of the short film “Vishwas ki Goonj”, Basant P. Tolani. Dr Kavita Suri, Assistant Director, Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension, University of Jammu was the in-charge of the festival on behalf of the University of Jammu.
The Film Festival was followed by a one day workshop based on “Understanding and Resolving Conflicts” on 1st June 2008.
It may be recalled that Yakjah reconciliation and development network was founded in 2002 by a group of Kashmiri and non-Kashmiris based in New Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. Yakjah has always strived to create and build safe spaces for youth and children’s expression using creative mediums like art, theatre and films. It has been the group’s endeavor to bring together communities, women, youth and children living across ethnic and political divide to dialogue, relearn and rebuild relationships in a common space.
Since its inception yakjah has joined hands with different organizations and individuals to initiate/ conduct different workshops as well as introduce and pioneer livelihood and rehabilitation programmes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Yakjah’s earlier ideas transformed into successful initiatives when children from the valley participated in a theatre festival in 2003 and in 2005 when 60 children from the migrant camps of Jammu, Delhi and srinagar came together and participated in a week long theatre festival in Gulmarg, Kashmir as a part of the summer camp. Since 2005 Yakjah has conducted many workshops on peace building using films as a catalyst to facilitate dialogue between youth and children from different regions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Since the start of the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir, academic institutions, civil society groups and development agencies are actively participating in rebuilding relationships and reviving economy. In this context, capacity building and channeling the human resource of youth cannot be abdicated. We all owe them a place under the sun to excel, develop leadership and contribute to the regional development and the peace process. As such it is significant to provide them the essential platform to create spaces for exchange and dialogue so as to craft peace that they collectively envisage in their region. It is with this aim in mind, Yakjah came up with the idea of a film festival and a workshop on “faith, conflict and peace”.