Kathmandu [Nepal], October 30 (ANI): Veteran Indian actor Shabana Azmi joins renowned film critic and historian Marco Muller as prominent guests at the inaugural Kathmandu Film Festival (KFF), which begins in Nepal on October 30 and runs until November 1.
Organised by Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the three-day festival will showcase 40 films from 14 countries, bringing together filmmakers, artists and cinema enthusiasts from across Asia and beyond.
The first edition of KFF aims to promote Nepali and international independent cinema while strengthening cultural connections through filmmaking and storytelling, as per Variety.
Kathmandu, which holds the UNESCO Creative City of Film designation, has launched the festival as a platform for diverse cinematic voices and perspectives.
The festival's programme includes the International Panorama, Nepal Panorama Shorts, screenings of restored Nepali feature films and open-air screenings. Among the international selections are Marine Atlan's La Gradiva, which premiered at Cannes, and Shahrbanoo Sadat's No Good Men, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival this year.
Explaining the vision behind the international selection, KFF artistic director Ramyata Limbu said, "The international panorama is a curated showcase of global, contemporary and independent cinema that represents powerful stories, unique voices and distinct cultural perspectives," as per Variety.
Speaking about the local short-film programme, she added, "The Nepal panorama shorts feature diverse and compelling stories about Nepal by emerging local talent."
A key highlight of the inaugural edition is its focus on Nepal's film history. The festival will feature a retrospective of restored Nepali films from the 1970s and 1980s, including Kumari, credited as the country's first colour feature film.
The programme will also spotlight Yamagata in Japan, another UNESCO Creative City of Film. A dedicated shorts showcase will highlight the Japanese city's cinema, with organisers linking the initiative to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan. The programme is intended to strengthen cultural and creative ties between the two cities.
The festival will take place at several locations across the city, including Basantapur, City Hall, the Nepal Tourism Board, Jai Nepal Cinema and Taragaon.
Beyond film screenings, the event will feature a heritage walk, master classes and conversations with filmmakers. Awards will also be presented in the youth video challenge and Nepal Panorama sections.
Screenings will be free for audiences, although advance booking will be required for some events.
Kathmandu's acting mayor Sunita Dangol described the festival as an opportunity to celebrate the city's diverse cultural identity and the communities that have shaped it.
"Kathmandu is not just the city of its indigenous communities, whose culture and heritage are at its heart. It is also a city shaped by people from every corner of Nepal," Dangol said, as per Variety.
She added, "Over generations, communities from across the country have brought their traditions, languages, art, music and stories to Kathmandu. That coming together is what makes this city so vibrant and unique."
Dangol also highlighted the significance of cinema and storytelling in the aftermath of Nepal's recent floods.
"Nepal has been through a profound tragedy with the floods, and in moments like these, stories become even more important," she said, adding, "They help us make sense of what we have experienced, connect with one another, heal and find the courage to move forward." (ANI)
