21st edition of KIMF starting today with more than 60 films from 22 countries

Kathmandu. The 21st edition of the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMF) is going to be held from Jestha 16 to 20 (May 29 to June 2, 2024). The festival, which will be jointly organized by Kathmandu Metropolitan City, will be held at National Assembly House and Nepal Tourism Board. This year’s theme is ‘Echoes of Change’. More than 60 films from 22 countries will be shown at the festival.

KIMF’s international competition includes documentary, narrative, short and experimental film. Similarly, under the title Nepal Panorama, exciting films of indigenous talent will be screened like in the past. These movies will highlight the story of contemporary Nepal.
The festival will kick off with the Asia premiere of Italian director Brando Quilici’s ‘The Tiger’s Nest’. Filmed in Nepal, this documentary is the story of a young man who embarks on a nationwide adventure to save a tiger cub from poachers.

About the festival and the performances that will be performed under it, Ramita Limbu, president of Kimf Foundation, says, ‘The audience will be entertained through the line-up of movies and programs. Similarly, there will be a critical dialogue on the issues that affect the Nepalese society.

One of the main attractions of KIMF 2024 will be an exhibition of rare photographs and films from a century ago titled ‘Everest Revisited 1924-2024’.

Likewise, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Nepal-Korea friendship, there will be a special screening of Korean films at the Ulju Mountain Film Festival, which reflects the similarities between the two countries in the midst of different languages and cultures.

British director-producer Dina Mufti, anthropologist from Nepal Dr. Suresh Dhakal is a film editor from Switzerland, Regina Batsraki. In the competition, there are 3 feature stories, 11 feature documentaries, 7 short stories and 7 short documentaries and 13 documentaries and 16 stories of Nepal Panorama genre. There will be other non-competitive presentations.

The festival will award 1,500 US dollars to the best feature documentary, 1,000 dollars to the best short documentary, 1,500 dollars to the best feature story film and 1,000 dollars to the best short story presentation.

In Nepal Panorama, the best documentary and the best feature film will receive Rs 1 lakh respectively. Similarly, the amount of audience prize is one lakh rupees. KIMP will feature interactive discussions between filmmakers, film buffs, critics, intellectuals, mountaineers, artists, and journalists, guest lectures, book and photo exhibitions, and alternative art exhibitions.

The festival will host an interaction titled “Mountains Matter – A Call from the Himalayas” and a panel discussion titled “Women Behind the Camera” in collaboration with the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Department. “Championing Young Filmmakers – Screening, panel discussion, interactive exhibition on filmmaking and stories with stories for Nepali documentaries with the British Council will be a cut, story pitch.” There will be an edit lab for Nepali narrative and non-narrative projects with the help of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The festival is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), British Council, US Embassy, Film Development Board (FDB), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), MILA Productions, Pasang Lhamu Foundation, Daya Foundation, Voice of Women Media (VAU), Samapore Kala Nepal Foundation, Tony Hagan Foundation, Bagmati Province Communications Registrar’s Office, Himalaya International Mountain Film of China (HIMF), GIZ, WWF, ICIMOD, Nepal Lalitkala Pragya Pratishthan, North Face Nepal, Sonam, KTM City will be supporting.
Kimpf Foundation is a non-profit organization. The festival is promoted by the Nepal Tourism Board. Kimf is a member of the International Alliance of Mountain Films (IAMF), headquartered in Turin, Italy. IAMF has 28 member organizations from 20 countries.
You have to buy a ticket for 150 rupees to watch the festival movies. A ticket rate of 100 rupees has been set for students.