KATHMANDU

‘Kathaha’, ‘Tapalay’, ‘Lidhansaa’ and ‘Tin Tika Maha Bika’ will be screened on the second and last day of the festival.

NFS Sankipa Samman 1137, a Newari film festival, organized by Newa Film Society (NFS) kicked off at Nepal Tourism Board on Friday with the aim to promote Newari language films.

The opening ceremony of the festival saw participation of around 100 Newari film enthusiasts. According to General Secretary of NFS, Biraj Kaji Rajopadhyaya, a total of eight films will be screened during the festival. “We started the festival with the film ‘Pankhaa’ (wall) that has received recognition from Future of Asia Award in Japan. This was also a tribute to the film’s director Ram Shekhar Nakarmi.”

Films including ‘Pankhaa’, ‘Thama Mhugu Gaa’, ‘Kalli’ and ‘Chandra Man’ were screened on the first day, while ‘Kathaha’, ‘Tapalay’, ‘Lidhansaa’ and ‘Tin Tika Maha Bika’ will be screened on the second and last day of the festival.

Rajopadhyaya added that the festival was their effort to give Newari films a platform to showcase their stories. He said, “Filmmakers create movies with dedication and they have an emotional attachment with the films. But, they do not get the exposure in mainstream media because such films barely go through registration and censorship. Such movies carry social values, history and information, and should be given a platform for screening.”

He also termed these festivals as a platform for like-minded people and those from the industry to grow their network and brainstorm on how to flourish Newari movies. 

The festival is a two-day affair and will conclude with a closing ceremony at Nepal Tourism Board. In the closing ceremony, veteran actor Madan Krishna Shrestha and actress Chaitya Devi Singh are to be honored for their contribution to Newari films.