ISLAMABAD: A two-day ‘Bam-e-Dunya’ Film Festival concluded in Gilgit aiming to promote responsible mountain tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan. The festival was organized in connection with International Mountain Day at the Karakoram International University Gilgit, where short films were screened and panel discussion was held related to sustainable mountain tourism.

Fateh Ullah Khan, Minister for Information and Planning GB was the chief guest for the concluding and award ceremony, said a press release issued here on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion the minister emphasized for collective efforts to promote sustainable tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan. He appreciated the effort of all the partner organizations to celebrate International Mountain Day and to come up with an innovative idea to organise Bam-e-Dunya film festival.

Khalil Ahmed Acting Vice Chancellor Karakorum International University said it was the responsibility of every individual to take care of the environment and KIU is a platform which could be used for scientific research to contribute for the sustainable mountain tourism.

Haider Raza, regional head WWF-Pakistan, GB in his remarks said, “the bam-e-dunya film festival provides a platform to the filmmakers belonging to GB to document mountain ecology and socioeconomic and climatic changes occurring in the mountainous regions and it is need of the time to work together to promote sustainable mountain tourism in the region”.

According to the organisers, Bam-e-Dunya film festival is the biggest festival of the region which will be organised annually with stronger connectivity to the regional countries having mountains. 40 films for different categories were submitted by filmmakers from Gilgit-Baltistan, Chital and Azad Kashmir. In the documentary category, the first prize was bagged by Imitiaz Ahmed for a short documentary on biodiversity, the second award was grabbed by Majid for the film , ‘GB land of ultimate charm’ and likewise the third award was bagged by Masooma Masoom for a short film titled, ‘beggar in GB’.

In the fiction category, the winning award was bagged by ‘BALDA’ a film by Amjad Ali Hunzai and the second award was grabbed by Muhammad Imran for the film called ‘Wizard Stone’.

An animated film called ‘axe’ directed by Nazia and Leena was awarded with experimental film award. Raja Haseeb bagged special jury mentioned award for his short film called ‘Sardar Jee’. Seema Iqbal was awarded with Women in film award for her short film called ‘women courage’. An amateur film award was bagged by the students of Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Gilgit, Daniyal Akber and Asghar Ali for their short film called ‘life’ GB secretary tourism Rashid Ali was also present in the event and appreciated the stakeholders and filmmakers.