KATHMANDU, Nov 25: The biennial Film Southasia Festival of Documentaries concluded on November 24, awarding the Ram Bahadur Trophy for Best Film to 6-A Akash Ganga, directed by Nirmal Chander Dhandriyal. The jury praised the film as a “mesmerizing tribute” to Hindustani classical musician Annapurna Devi.
The Jury Award was jointly presented to Devi by Subina Shrestha and Chardi Kala – an Ode to Resilience by Prateek Shekhar for addressing “the profound undercurrents of conflict in Southasia.”
Film Southasia concludes with five major awards
According to a press release issued by the organizers, Anand Patwardhan received the Documentary Stalwart Award for his decades-long contributions to social justice and humanity-focused productions. Other honors included Best Student Film to Hello Guyzz! by Samiksha Mathur, Tareque Masud Best Debut Film to Siege in the Air by Muntaha Amin, and Best Film on Climate Crisis to A Flaming Forest.
This year’s festival featured 47 films from nine countries under the theme Documentary in Anthropocene, highlighting ecological and social challenges. It also included workshops and discussions, with chief guest Kabir Khan leading a directing session. Jury members emphasized the urgency of the theme, calling it “a stark reminder that what we share cannot be limited by borders.”
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