Srinagar, Sep 4: Three short documentaries from renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Bharatbala’s Virtual Bharat series have been selected for screening at the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026, scheduled to be held from September 7 to 10 across Srinagar, Jammu and Gulmarg.
“Naqsh-e-Daur: The Story of Ghulam Nabi Dar” and “Taleem” have been selected for the J&K Select Competition Section, while “Kunemechi: A Home Carved in Ancestry” will be screened in the Non-Competition Section.
“Naqsh-e-Daur” tells the story of Srinagar-based master craftsman Ghulam Nabi Dar, who has spent six decades carving Kashmir’s history into walnut wood. Trained under Noor Din Tikoo, Dar has preserved traditional chinar motifs and Quranic calligraphy despite industrialisation and conflict.
The documentary also highlights his efforts to mentor young artisans and pass the centuries-old craft to the next generation.
“Taleem” explores Kashmir’s traditional carpet-weaving heritage and the centuries-old oral tradition that guides artisans in creating intricate silk and wool carpets.
The film captures the various stages of carpet production, from spinning and dyeing to weaving and finishing, highlighting the skill, teamwork and cultural significance associated with the craft.
“Kunemechi: A Home Carved in Ancestry”, set in Dimapur, Nagaland, follows Phesao, who builds a house by hand while blending inherited Naga woodcarving traditions with formal training from the JJ School of Arts.
The film portrays his efforts to preserve traditional construction practices and pass the craft on to his children.
The IFFJK 2026, organised by the Jammu & Kashmir government’s Department of Information and Public Relations, is being billed as the Union Territory’s first international film festival.
The festival received more than 1,100 entries from over 50 countries, of which 135 films from 41 countries have been shortlisted for screening.
A five-member international jury comprising cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan, Oscar- and BAFTA-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, German film curator Dorothee Wenner, media entrepreneur Keiko Bang and National Award-winning filmmaker-educator Himansu Sekhar Khatua will assess films across the international, national and J&K-focused competition sections.
Screenings will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) and INOX Multiplex in Srinagar, Movie Time Cinemas in Jammu, and the Gulmarg Convention Centre.
The festival will also feature an Emerging Filmmakers Contest aimed at promoting local talent and encouraging filmmaking, cultural exchange and film tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Virtual Bharat is a short documentary series created by filmmaker Bharatbala and launched on August 15, 2019. The project aims to document India’s untold stories, traditions, art, folklore and the lives of people from different communities across the country.
