INTACH Punjab's Filmit Festival Celebrates Young Filmmakers and Heritage in Amritsar
The Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) of INTACH has been actively conducting the Filmit festival across India, with a focus on heritage conservation. In a recent event, INTACH Punjab held its Filmit festival at Spring Dale School in Amritsar, where budding filmmakers were honored and their works showcased.
Event Highlights and Distinguished Guests
The festival was inaugurated by Mahabir Bhullar, an eminent theatre person and actor from Taran Taran, Punjab, and an alumnus of the National School of Drama in New Delhi. Currently active in Punjabi cinema, Bhullar's presence added star power to the occasion. Another notable guest was theatre director Rajinder Singh, also an NSD alumnus and founder member of Dastak Theatre in Amritsar, known for his work in reviving Punjab's folk art communities like the Bhands and Marasis.
Student Participation and Film Themes
Students from 12 schools across Punjab participated in this project, creating short films and documentaries that explored various aspects of heritage. The films delved into both tangible and intangible heritage, with subjects ranging from culinary traditions like sarson da saag and atte di pinni to structural heritage such as old abandoned havelis and creative hubs like Preet Nagar.
Major Gen Balwinder Singh, Punjab convenor of INTACH, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "Filmit is a multi-cultural project that helps students make short films on their city's heritage. It's an initiative to save our cultural heritage."
Awards and Recognition
Several films were awarded for their excellence in sound, light, and concept designs. Dr. Baljeet Kaur, INTACH convener for Tarn Taran, highlighted the training provided to students through workshops on content development and technical skills. She noted that over 8,000 short films have been produced by students nationwide since the project's inception 18 years ago.
The festival is part of a broader celebration across India, with events in cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kochi, Vadodara, and Amritsar. It culminates in an annual Filmit Festival that screens the best movies and awards schools for their efforts.
International Acclaim
Films from previous Filmit festivals have gained international recognition. For instance, a film by Delhi student Nigam Pratibha Chaukhandi, titled 'Phoolwati Amma', was awarded the second best film made by little directors globally in 2015. Additionally, 19 films were showcased in non-competitive categories, with some screened at the International Children's Film Festival in Hyderabad in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Major Gen Balwinder Singh further informed that one film was featured at the International Children's Film Festival in Tel Aviv, and others were screened at the SIFFCY Film Festival in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2024. In 2025, films were also showcased at the Footprints Film Festival in association with IGNCA and the Jaipur International Film Festival.
This event, supported by the Government of India's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, underscores the ongoing efforts to preserve and promote Punjab's rich cultural heritage through the creative expressions of young filmmakers.
