This year’s festival marks the fifth edition of the event, following successful screenings in Kathmandu, Mahendranagar, Surkhet, and Nepalgunj earlier this year.

"This is the first time we bring the festival to Koshi Province, and we are excited to engage with audiences outside Kathmandu. Our goal is to connect with more Nepalis through the powerful medium of cinema," stated H.E. Veronique Lorenzo, the European Union Ambassador to Nepal. She also noted that this festival holds special significance as the EU and Nepal are celebrating fifty years of diplomatic relations.

In addition to showing European films, the festival is shining a light on Nepali filmmakers. This year, we received an impressive 52 entries for our short film competition, from which 11 exceptional films have been selected for screening in Itahari. We extend our congratulations to Shanta Nepali, whose film ‘‘Dhye Dreams’ poignantly depicts how women in the remote village of Dhye, Mustang, are adapting to climate change. Shanta will have the honour of representing Nepal at the first-ever festival of Nepali films in Brussels, commemorating 50 years of EU-Nepal relations from 2-4 Dec.

Our runner-up, Swoyam Maskey Manandhar, will also participate in the Brussels event with his film ‘The Bull, the Cow, and the Calf,’ which explores beautifully family dynamics in Nepal.

Festival Highlights 

The festival will kick off with the Bulgarian film ‘The Naked Truth of Zhiguli Band,’ a humorous and heart-warming tale about a band’s final concert to fund a father's dream for his daughter's future. The opening night will also feature the Nepali short film ‘Sanai.’

On 16 November at 11:00 AM, renowned director and writer Manoj Pandit will be the main speaker at an engaging discussion titled ‘Challenges and Opportunities of Nepali Filmmaking in Eastern Nepal.’ This interactive session will include insights from director Arun Kumar Pradhan and Ms. Sangita Shrestha, writer-director of the Nepali movie Katha Kathmandu, and IAWRT Nepal chapter member alongside film enthusiasts, writers, and directors. This session will be moderated by Manoj Dahal.

We invite everyone to join us in this landmark event to celebrate the beauty of European cinema alongside the rich storytelling of Nepali filmmakers. Together, let us embrace the cultural diversity that enriches our shared experiences!

For a detailed screening schedule and film synopses, please visit our website: https://rb.gy/ry8mq2

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