Kashmiri Photojournalist's story to be showcased at International Short Film Competition

Kashmiri photojournalist's story to be showcased at international short film competition. Xuhaib Maqbool Hamza was blinded in one eye and severely injured in a police crackdown on a mass riot in the Rainwari area of Srinagar, 2016. Now his struggle and story of endurance are being made into a short film, "My Broken Camera" which will be showcased at My Røde Reel which is one of the world's largest international short film competitions.

The film is directed by Gopal Menon, with cinematography by Jagadish Kumar and Mohammed Dawood. G. Balakarishnan is the editor of the film. The film is competing in the "Documentary" category.

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"My Broken Camera" covers Xuhaib's career and the stunning police brutality which resulted in his body being pulled full of pellets. Over 200 injuries were recorded and despite surgery, his eye never regained function. The Kashmiri photographer now does commercial shoots for clients.

He is a well-known Kashmiri public figure with a former successful radio show and whose works have been showcased in international magazines like National Geographic.

Throughout his long career, Xuhaib has been vocal about journalistic freedom and the crackdown on journalists in Kashmir, a situation which he says has worsened since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the subsequent heightened military presence in the region.

(This report is translated by Anjana Nair)