KATHMANDU: The ninth edition of the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF), organized by the Nepal Film and Cultural Academy with the aim of connecting Nepali cinema to the global film market, will be held from April 2 to 6.
Continuing its long-standing theme, “A Celebration of Stories from Around the World,” this year’s festival will place special emphasis on films that appeal to young audiences. NIFF Chairperson KP Pathak said the festival is being positioned as a youth-friendly platform.
“We have prioritized youth-centric films this year. Our goal is to make NIFF more youth-oriented,” Pathak said. “To encourage young filmmakers, we are also organizing sessions such as an AI filmmaking workshop. Our main effort is to inspire hope among young audiences through cinema.”
According to the organizers, more than 800 films from over 80 countries applied to participate in this year’s festival. The selection committee has shortlisted the best and most youth-relevant titles, making this edition one of the most competitive so far.
“Compared to previous editions, we received a much larger number of entries. This has become the edition with the highest number of submissions,” Pathak said. “This reflects the growing trust of the international film community and filmmakers in NIFF.”
From these submissions, 88 films from 40 countries have been selected. The lineup includes feature films, short films, AI-generated films and documentaries that have been screened and awarded at major international festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Tribeca, Shanghai, Locarno, Busan and Goa.
NIFF had opened global submissions in June last year and was initially scheduled to begin from Falgun 21. However, due to the upcoming general elections and the Gen-Z movement of Bhadau 23–24, the dates were pushed back by a month.
“When elections are held, issues related to transportation and security become major concerns,” Pathak explained. “Considering these sensitivities, and the importance of the upcoming elections that require public attention and participation, we decided to shift NIFF by one month.”
Awards and prizes
The festival’s top honor, the Gautam Buddha Award for Best International Feature Film, will carry a cash prize of USD 1,500 along with a trophy.
- The Best National Feature Film will receive Rs 100,000 and a trophy.
- In the documentary category, the Mount Everest Award for Best Documentary will be presented with USD 1,000 and a trophy.
- The Best South Asian Feature Film winner will receive USD 500 and a trophy.
- In the AI Film category, the Manjushree Award will carry USD 500 and a trophy.
- The Best International Student Short Film will receive a trophy.
- The Best National Short Film will be awarded Rs 50,000 along with a trophy.
- The Best National Documentary will receive Rs 50,000 and a trophy.
In the National Feature Film category, awards for Best Director, Actor, Actress, Screenwriter and Cinematographer will be presented in the form of trophies.
With its expanding international reach, strong youth focus and diverse lineup, NIFF 2026 is expected to be one of the most vibrant and competitive editions in the festival’s history.
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