KATHMANDU: The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Nepal is set to host the ‘Nepal European Union Film Festival’ at Elite Cinema in Itahari from tomorrow (Friday) until November 18.
The festival will showcase a selection of nine captivating European films, six of which will feature Nepali subtitles.
This festival celebrates the rich cultural diversity of Europe and aims to connect with new audiences in Nepal, according to the EU Delegation in Nepal.
This year’s event marks the fifth edition of the festival, 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 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.
This year, the EU Delegation in Nepal received 52 entries for the short film competition, from which 11 exceptional films were selected for screening in Itahari.
Shanta Nepali’s film “Dhye Dreams” poignantly depicts how women in the remote village of Dhye, Mustang, are adapting to climate change.
Shanta will have the honor of representing Nepal at the inaugural festival of Nepali films in Brussels, commemorating 50 years of EU-Nepal relations, from December 2 to 4, according to a statement from the EU Delegation.
Similarly, the runner-up, Swoyam Maskey Manandhar, will also participate in the Brussels event with his film “The Bull, the Cow, and the Calf,” which beautifully explores family dynamics in Nepal.
The festival will kick off with the Bulgarian film “The Naked Truth of Zhiguli Band,” a humorous and heartwarming 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 November 16, 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 Sangita Shrestha, writer-director of the Nepali movie Katha Kathmandu, as well as members of the IAWRT Nepal chapter, alongside film enthusiasts, writers, and directors. The session will be moderated by Manoj Dahal.
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