I remember Srinagar's theaters filled with people, the smell of fresh popcorn, and the soft whirr of projectors. Movies brought us together, even when life was hard.

Then the screens went dark, one by one, leaving only memories of stories told elsewhere, about us, but rarely by us.

That is beginning to change.

This year, I watched the Kashmir World Film Festival and the Srinagar Film Festival come to life. They felt bigger than just events. They were statements.

Kashmir is stepping forward in Indian cinema, taking back its stories and its place on the screen.

India hosts hundreds of film festivals every year, but the recent ones in Kashmir felt different. They were not only about showing films. They were about opening doors.

Young directors, cinematographers, actors, and writers showed up, stepping into spaces that once felt out of reach. They met producers, distributors, and mentors who could actually shape their paths.

I watched conversations begin that could turn into collaborations, new projects, and futures they once only imagined.

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