Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar, Dec 23: It’s raining biopic in the international documentary films world and one such powerful “Positive Story” from Jammu and Kashmir is inspiring the world.
The documentary makers of “The Call of Pashmina” the life and work of Babar Afzal, have combined the passion and dedication that Babar has towards understanding the ground realities of the Authentic Pashmina Eco System of India, and how he wants to expose the realities of the lives of the people including shepherds, weavers, craftsmen and women to the world and then how he charts out a brilliant career path around solving a problem that has one million people directly and indirectly linked to the industry ecosystem.
His work and life’s journey has become an inspiration for millions of youngsters and budding entrepreneurs globally. His work and approach is gaining momentum across the sustainable fashion and sustainable luxury industries across the world.
Babar is a silent runner and has built a beautiful case of Authentic Pashmina Industry of J&K, globally and continues to do that with his powerful work, living the life and highlighting the lives of nomads, shepherds, weavers, craftsmen and women.
“Documentaries are an interesting medium to share one’s story with the world. I’m both excited and nervous to see my story being picked up my international directors and being officially selected to be unfolding on the screens internationally in London, Pennsylvania, Germany, Arizona, Colorado, and Delhi. I have full confidence on the makers of the documentary and I’m sure they have presented the problems that the eco system is facing and also inspire the youth around the world to look at real life problems that desperately need solutions,” said Babar Afzal.
“Recognition at any level is a big responsibility and it has always forced me to work harder, reject my own ideas of yesterday, learn and upgrade my skills and look at the problem in a more holistic manner. As Lalleshweri, the mystic of Kashmir said that, truth does not come to you by reading word,” Babar added.
Babar is from Jammu & Kashmir and was moved to leave his corporate life when he read the news of 25,000 pashmina goats that died of starvation in Himalayas. That moment changed his life completely and turned him into a Pashmina Artist, Activist and a Shepherd who is now advocating for this community around the world and sensitizing the global audience about the eco-system. Babar’s journey is unique in many ways as he is exploring all possible mediums to understand and then address the problems that the eco-system is facing.
“I had no background in Pashmina other than my family and friends being heavily into Kashmir Handicrafts Manufacturing and Exports who had been tuned to looking at everything through the lens of commerce,” he said.
The Call of Pashmina, made by Emaho Films and sponsored by Jnana Foundation is a compilation of work and mission of Babar Afzal that has made it into the top international documentary film festivals of the world through official selections and has won multiple international awards. It would be screening at Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, Arizona (US) and is also running for 2018 DCFS Audience Award there, Colorado Environmental Film Festival, Quotes from the Earth – An Environmental Film Festival (Delhi), Greenmotions Film Festival (Germany), British Documentary Film Festival Leicester Square (London), Directors Circle Festival of Shorts, Erie, (Pennsylvania), Woodpecker International Film Festival (Delhi).
