The documentary by filmmaker Kesang Tseten won the first prize in the International Category adjudged by the KIMFF jury. The film follows young Nepali aspirants through a rigorous selection process, and the different reasons behind the candidates’ desire to join the British Army’s Brigade of Gurkhas. Gurkhas have been fighting for Britain for some 200 years, and the tradition continues to this day.[break]
“Documentaries are generally thought of as being sober, serious and boring,” said Tseten. “While that’s often true, in fact, the documentary is a wonderful form that’s full of possibilities, encompassing a wide range of methods of telling stories and cinematic practice.”
As cinema halls screen mostly feature films in Nepal, it’s a rare event for a documentary to make it to the theatres here.
“Usually, documentaries are shown at film festivals and small venues, so this will test the public appetite for documentaries. A cinema release for a documentary is very difficult or impossible in all of South Asia, but it’s happening in Nepal,” said Tseten.
The documentary enjoyed a good response at KIMFF where it drew 1,500 viewers in three screenings. Apart from the first prize in the international category, it also won the Audience Award at KIMFF.
The film premiered at the International Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) and was one of 16 films to compete in the prestigious Main Competition at the same festival. It is further scheduled to be screened next at the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival in Greece and at Eurodocs in Oslo, Norway.
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