Arif Bashir Naik, a filmmaker from Kashmir, has won the Swedish Academy Of Motion Picture Award in the short film category for his creation, “Where is Kashmir (Kasheer Kaete),” chosen from numerous entries.
Arif Bashir, the writer-director, draws on his personal experiences growing up in Kashmir, offering a glimpse into the difficult life of an ordinary boy in a violence-affected region.
Arif expressed his appreciation, saying, “It is always great to find appreciation for your films, your artworks.” He shared the team’s aim to participate in festivals like Cannes and Sundance, despite technical delays preventing submissions to other festivals.
A resident of North Kashmir’s Tangmarg area, Arif, a writer, poet, and communications postgraduate, will receive the award in about a month.
He highlighted that this recognition motivates the team for future projects, emphasizing the impact of violence on friends and family in Kashmir based on his personal experiences.
The film, based in Kashmir, tells the story of Adnan, a young boy from a middle-class family, aiming to bring joy to his blind sister with a birthday cake. Yet, his plans hit a snag when his bicycle chain breaks on the way home from the town bakery.
Adding to the challenge, a heightened army checkpoint, due to security concerns, forces Adnan to navigate through scrutiny, facing the barrel of a gun as his sister patiently waits for the promised birthday cake.