Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS): Bollywood personalities such as Janhvi Kapoor, Vikram Aditya Motwane and Amit Sharma, among many others, will be seen attending and giving masterclasses at the second edition of  The Himalayan Film Festival  (THFF).

THFF is scheduled to take place from September 29 to October 3.

Janhvi said: "The Himalayan Film Festival is a great way for filmmakers from the Himalayan regions to showcase their talent and learn from industry experts. The festival will also provide an opportunity for viewers to see a variety of films and interact with filmmakers from across the country!"

Motwane, whose webseries 'Jubilee' will be screened during the festival and who will be participating in a masterclass added: "The more we take cinema to different corners of the country, the better it is for everybody."

The festival's offerings include the Screenwriters Lab, Short Film Competition, Photography Workshop, and Masterclasses, curated by professionals from the Indian film industry, apart from the array of films that the festival will showcase over the five day duration.

Others, who will be attending the second edition of THFF, are Rima Das, and Dominic Megam Sangma and Kenny Deori Basumatary.

Padma Angmo, Commissioner/Secretary, Information, Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, talking about the second edition of THFF, said: "The primary aim of organising the festival is to provide a platform to local Ladakhi filmmakers to showcase their films, to encourage local talent, build their capacity, connect them to experts and the market. It is a small community, but one that is very active and very creative."

Achal Mishra, fronting the Photography Workshop said: "...I'm happy that The Himalayan Film Festival is doing just that for Ladakh, a place I dearly love, and which has been my second home for the last 5-6 years."

Filmmaker Rima Das, whose film 'Tora's Husband' will be screened, said, "India is such a diverse country with so many wonderful stories still untapped and unexplored. I am so happy that The Himalayan Film Festival is creating a platform to empower budding filmmakers, expose them to different kinds of films and nurture their talent."

Filmmaker Dominic Megam Sangma who is part of the jury for the Short Film Competition added: "Films from Himalayan regions hardly get represented in mainstream cinema, but festivals like this give that opportunity to showcase the works from this region. Anybody who wants to make films or loves cinema should take full advantage of this event by attending all programmes, meeting people and networking."

Filmmaker and actor Kenny Deori Basumatary whose film 'Local Utpaat' will be screened at the festival shared: "Film festival competitions help give one an idea of 'kaun kitne paani mein hai'. And workshops with industry professionals are very very important, because we learn some vital details from working people."

Mentor of the Screenwriters Lab at The Himalayan Film Festival 2023, Filmmaker and Screenwriter Satyanshu Singh said, "It makes me immensely happy to be associated with The Himalayan Film Festival as a mentor. It is a fertile ground for local filmmakers to hone their skills through workshops and masterclasses. The festival is set to bring cinema from the corners of the country to the forefront, a treat to cinephiles."

THFF is organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh, in collaboration with Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh.