Srinagar, Sep 9: Kashmir’s mountains, lakes and distinctive natural light have made an immediate impression on Spanish producer Anna Saura Ramón, who is visiting the Valley for the inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK).

Ramón, who arrived in Kashmir only a day before speaking about her experience, said the Valley already felt like a place “where stories happen.”
She was particularly impressed by the way sunlight interacts with the mountains and reflects across the lakes, giving the landscape a visual character she found remarkable.
The Spanish producer said she would like to return to Kashmir during winter to witness its mountains and landscapes covered in snow.
Ramón is visiting the Valley along with fellow Spanish producer and distributor Roberto. Their participation in IFFJK has also provided an opportunity to explore possible collaborations between the Indian and Spanish film industries.
Beyond Kashmir’s scenic appeal, Ramón believes the Valley can benefit from stronger engagement with international filmmakers. “A film festival can play an important role in creating connections between established filmmakers, emerging artists, technicians and students.”
While she has previously attended international film festivals including in Goa, Ramón said she did not want to draw direct comparisons.
She, however, expressed hope that the festival would develop into a sustained platform for interaction, enabling visiting filmmakers to discover Kashmir’s locations and local crews while giving filmmakers from the region exposure to international production practices.
Ramón also expressed interest in working with Indian talent on future projects and said she would be open to making a film in India, though the choice of actors would depend on the story, project requirements, co-producers and production schedule.
The producer is already familiar with Indian filmmaking, having worked with an Indian crew on a Spanish co-production shot in the country around two years ago. She praised the experience and said she would be willing to collaborate with Indian actors and technicians again.
Referring to Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan, which was partly shot in Spain including Cadiz, Ramón said the film had helped increase familiarity with Indian mainstream cinema among audiences and professionals in Spain.
For Roberto, the Kashmir visit is equally about exploring the largely untapped relationship between the Indian and Spanish film industries.
As a producer and distributor in Spain, he works with different genres and formats and said he is particularly interested in films with deeper emotional themes alongside commercial cinema.
He believes India’s enormous film industry presents considerable scope for developing stronger links with Spanish audiences. One of his objectives is to understand Indian cinema better and examine why several films that enjoy popularity in India remain relatively unknown in Spain.
Roberto said the potential for collaboration exists on both sides. Indian stories could find audiences in Spain, while Spanish cinema could also connect with viewers in India. He sees cultural similarities and shared human experiences as a natural foundation for such cooperation.
Rather than simply producing films that feature both countries, he said filmmakers should look for stories built around universal experiences—such as travel, human relationships, encounters and emotional connections—that allow audiences in India and Spain to recognise aspects of their own lives.
Both producers believe language need not be a major obstacle. What is more important, they said, is creating opportunities for filmmakers from the two countries to meet, exchange ideas and develop projects together.
For Ramón, however, Kashmir itself remains the strongest source of immediate inspiration. Its dramatic landscapes and extraordinary light, she said, possess the visual qualities that can inspire filmmakers—and she hopes to return to see how the Valley changes when winter blankets its mountains in snow.