Jammu Strengthens Its Place on the International Film Festival Circuit as JFF Receives Overwhelming Global Response for its Milestone 5th Edition

Jammu,  2026: The milestone 5th Edition of the Jammu Film Festival (JFF) has received an overwhelming response from filmmakers across the globe, with 180 film submissions from 35 countries already received well ahead of the submission deadline of 31 July 2026.

Scheduled to be held on 28–29 September 2026 in Jammu, the festival continues its remarkable journey of connecting Jammu with the global film community and has emerged as one of North India’s leading international film festivals.

The entries received so far include 130 Short Films, 35 Documentaries and 17 Feature Films, representing diverse cultures, languages and cinematic traditions from around the world. With submissions still open for several weeks, organisers expect the numbers to grow further. Jury Head Kapil Mattoo said the quality, diversity and international spread of submissions received this year reflected the growing reputation of Jammu Film Festival within the independent film ecosystem. “Receiving 180 submissions from 35 countries at this stage is an impressive achievement and demonstrates the confidence that filmmakers have in the festival.”, he said

The festival is jointly presented by Vomedh and Koshurwood Studio and is expected to host filmmakers, delegates, artists and cinema enthusiasts from India and abroad. International delegates have already started expressing interest in attending the festival, with participants expected from several countries including the United States, while discussions are underway with international performers from Singapore to participate in the festival’s cultural programming.

Festival Directors Rakesh Roshan Bhat and Rohit Bhat said that when JFF was conceived five years ago, the vision was not merely to organise a film festival but to create a cultural institution that would connect Jammu with the world through cinema.

Sanjeev Kak, representing co-presenter Koshurwood Studio, said that the organisation was proud to partner with a festival that had steadily evolved into an important cultural bridge between Jammu and the global filmmaking community.

The landmark joint edition of Jammu Film Festival and The International Film Festival of Srinagar (TIFFS) was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, at a grand ceremony held at Aquaplex Crown, Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu, further reinforcing the growing stature of these platforms.

Chatan Wanchoo observed that cinema possesses a unique ability to transcend boundaries and bring cultures together.

Festival Advisor Dr. Amit Wanchoo and Bhavna Pandita, Advisor to Vomedh, echoed similar sentiments and noted that the sustained growth of Jammu Film Festival over five editions demonstrated both the passion of its organisers and the growing appetite for meaningful cinema and cultural engagement in the region.

It may be recalled that the first four editions of Jammu Film Festival have witnessed participation from distinguished personalities from Indian cinema including M. K. Raina, Rahul Roy, Yashpal Sharma, Kashmera Shah, Deepika Singh, Ayub Khan, Lalit Parimoo, Mushtaq Kak, Mir Sarwar, Ayaz Khan and Kapil Mattoo, among others.

Jammu, July 10, 2026: The Organising Committee of the Jammu International Film Festival (JIFF) 2026 proudly announces its distinguished Jury Panel, comprising eminent personalities from the fields of cinema, media, and the arts. The festival has constituted a three-tier evaluation process consisting of a Screening Committee, Review Committee, and the Final Jury to ensure a transparent, unbiased, and merit-based selection of films from India and across the world.

The Screening Committee will undertake the initial evaluation and shortlisting of the submitted films. The committee comprises:

• Rakesh Roshan Bhat – Festival Director

• Rohit Bhat – Festival Director

• Kamal Razdan – Actor & Director

• Suman Pandita – Actor

• Ifra Kak – Director

• Manzoor Mir – Actor & Director

The shortlisted films will then be evaluated by the Review Committee, which includes:

• Rahul Sharma – Film Director

• Kusum Tickoo – Film Actor & Producer

• Rani Bhan – Film Actor

• J. R. Sagar – Film Actor

• Dr. Kuldeep Raina Sudeshi – Music Director & Composer

• Shadab Khan – Film Actor

The final selection of award-winning films will be made by the Final Jury, comprising renowned personalities from the Indian film industry:

• Kapil Matoo – Film Director (Jury Head)

• Vipin Sharma – Bollywood Actor (Jury Member)

• Ashwath Bhatt – Bollywood Actor (Jury Member)

• Tanvir Dar – Actor (Jury Member)

The Organising Committee expressed confidence that the distinguished panel, with its vast experience in filmmaking, acting, direction, production, and the creative arts, will uphold the highest standards of cinematic excellence while selecting the best films for recognition at JFF 2026.

Issued by:

Organising Committee

Jammu Film Festival (JFF) 2026