As the title suggests, this short film by J&K tourism showcases the warmth and hospitality of the Kashmiri people. You will be mesmerised by the breathtaking shots of Kashmir. You will not guess how it ends.

Kashmir: Warmest Place | Short Film of the Day

The manner in which conflict comes to influence and mould human experience is unmistakable, and perhaps even grand in its grotesqueness. Another aspect that matches the scale of this control and power is art - perhaps the Yin to this Yang. Art in conflict-ridden areas comes to constitute the other inescapable and undeniable part of reality. The short film is an exploration and portrayal of this proposition. The documentary locates itself in Kashmir, a geographical space that has been ravaged by militancy, consequent violence and political tussles for over three decades now. The voices it brings within its fold to amplify its message are loud and clear, unequivocal and strong in the comments they want to make. This, in turn, allows the narrative not only a lucidity of thought, a clarity of communication, but also a poignancy that touches the very core of the viewer, irrespective of the side of the conflict they locate themselves on. Inherent to the film is another message for the optimistic viewer, one about the undeniable nature of art and the many ways in which it brings solace and comfort to many- be it in the form of a much-needed expression of grief, or a messenger for the views they want to share with society, in the form of hope that warms them amidst the stony coldness of a disturbing reality or in the clarion call it can potentially become for a revolution. Lastly, Raqs-e-Inquilab, or Dance of Revolution, achieves its final triumph in the very specific manner and tonality it adopts to tie art and conflict together, an endeavour that has been attempted previously as well by several storytellers, filmmakers and artists, but with few results as notable as this documentary film.

Raqs-e-Inquilab | Short Film of the Month

Could love truly be the answer to all human conflict? Maybe yes, suggests this short film. With its detailed narrative and expert camerawork that perfectly capture the stunning images of Kashmir, My Kashmir Love Story becomes a romance with the Valley. As media headlines ravage this magnificent place, the film is a reminder of how life in Kashmir is no different from life in any other part of the world. Yes, there is turmoil, and yes, it does affect the day-to-day business of people inhabiting it, but that is only a small part of a huge picture. At the end of the day, all that anyone wants is peace. So, though the visit to this part of India may have left the narrator feeling sad and dejected, but the hope that love will one day conquer all lives in his heart, as it does in the heart of Kashmiris.

My Kashmir Love Story | Short Film of the Day

It’s a lovely winter morning in Kashmir when Haleema meets her close friend Tara. As the two women sit down to chat, share a moment and eventually go about the town, arm in arm with each other, a bond marked by intimacy and deep affection is conjured for the viewer. 
The tonality and writing is deliberately suffused with warmth and an uplifting delineation of a friendship. However, tragedy is swift to strike, and in this sudden reversal of fortune, the narrative offers its core message to the viewer. 
Without meandering into overt sentimentalism, the film presents its comment on the mindlessness of a form of violence that is executed in the name of imagined boundaries of religion and communal differences. The vagaries of life are put under question, as the hope, and the voice which stood for it, is silenced with a brutal act of cruelty. The storytelling, and performance both show earnestness, thereby, allowing the film lucidity in communicating its message to you.

The Good News | Short Film Nominee

An idyllic space marked by shikaras, roses, adornment and smiles constitute the world of the film at first glance. At the heart of this narrative is a loving father-daughter equation, and a kind doctor who visits them regularly for follow-ups. However, this realm of love and longing is soon disrupted as tragedy strikes, following a shooting in a marketplace. 

By tying matters of the heart, and the ensuing complications, with the terrible reality of Kashmir that gets embroiled in the turbulent political terrain of the region, the film also presents the darkness of what lies beneath the surface of the Valley’s spectacular beauty. As foiled expectations, the motif of a red flower, tenderness of a hurt heart all make their presence felt, the film comes into its own. Though the narrative sometimes runs the danger of a little laxity, the end result remains especially notable in its visual progression and the performances it brings to life.

My Father's Doctor | Short Film Nominee

Vaapsi is a glimpse into a father-son conversation as they go about discussing mundane affairs that constitute life; from his son's love life to his affinity for alcohol to a goodbye that the two share as the young lieutenant returns to his duties as an Indian Army officer. On their way to the Dehradun train station, the two talk about their shared past and the future, perhaps all the while attempting to take their attention away from the imminent goodbye. Some goodbyes are harder than others and the short film attempts to capture the essence of one such parting that is made bearable only by the promise of a reunion.

Vaapsi | Short Film of the Day

Set against the hinterland of a Kashmir divided on religious lines, the film tells the story of inter-faith lovers. Attempting to invoke a poetic approach in the narrative, supplemented by a strong performance by Neelofar Hamid, Gaash is about Fatima, a Kashmiri Muslim, falling in love with a Hindu man. The film opens with the sight of a group of men carrying a coffin in the snow. A parallel story is unfolding inside the coffin as a woman metaphorically awaits her life after death and the subsequent liberation from all man-made restrictions and inhibitions that kept her from her one true love. The plot attempts a comment on a society that is fraught by religious differences, misogyny, patriarchy and the complete obliteration of a woman's voice, along with the idea of love eventually surmounting all of these odds.

Gaash | Short Film of the Day

Backed with a poetic narration, the video packs powerful visuals in its short duration to talk about Kashmir. It is simply a plea for the natives of the land to be given a chance to voice their thoughts on their homeland. In the political rigmarole of determining the fate of the Valley, it is often the voice of the locals which is silenced the most, suggests the video. This further leads to the painting of the region with a single stroke of the brush, without allowing its people any room for individuality. The short video attempts to invoke the same concerns using the voice of a child, juxtaposing his innocence against the subject matter he draws the audience's attention to.

Azaadi | Short Film Nominee

From the premise itself, the film wants to make several important comments about the idea of identity, nationalism and politics in a country that is battling a hypersensitive atmosphere. It brings in the cruel and violent treatment of Kashmiris by some members of perhaps a fringe or extremist group on a college campus. They can be assumed to be students or youth leaders backed by political parties or both - the film does not clarify these details. While the intention of the narrative is to further dialogue on the topic of dissent, it could have perhaps gained from a more organic pace. This, in turn, would have allowed it to benefit from a little more coherence in the development of events, and elevate it higher than where it already stands.

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