Kathmandu, A special screening program featuring six Chinese films that received top honors at the Beijing International Film Festival commenced in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
The event, organized under the “Tiantan Awards Panorama” promotion program of the Beijing International Film Festival, opened with the screening of director Sagar Zhan’s film Trapped.
The program is being jointly organized by the China Film Administration, the Beijing International Film Festival, and the Nepal Film and Cultural Academy.
The opening ceremony, held at Chhaya Center, Thamel, was attended by Zhou Pan, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, as the chief guest. Special guests included Sergio Couto, Acting Ambassador of Brazil to Nepal, and veteran Nepali filmmaker Tulsi Ghimire. Other notable attendees included Uttam KC, President of the Nepal Artists Association; Arun Pradhan, President of the Directors’ Society; Narendra Maharjan, President of the Nepal Film Association; actor Pramod Agrahari; and many members of Nepal’s film fraternity.
Welcoming the guests, Academy President Pathak expressed confidence that such cultural initiatives would further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Nepal and China. He also hoped the program would contribute to greater opportunities for the distribution and exhibition of Nepali films in China.
Speaking at the event, Minister Counselor Zhou Pan emphasized that cinema is not merely a source of entertainment.
“Films help people understand social, political, and cultural realities. They bring nations closer together, and that is precisely the purpose of programs like this,” he said.
He further noted that such exchanges could open new avenues for professional collaboration between filmmakers of the two countries.
Veteran director Tulsi Ghimire highlighted the importance of cooperation in facilitating the screening and distribution of Nepali films in the Chinese market and called for greater support in this regard.
Following the screening of Trapped, director Sagar Zhan participated in an interactive session with audiences and journalists.
Zhan explained that the film was inspired by scenes and memories from his teenage years.
“I incorporated many of the things I witnessed and remember from that period of my life. However, the story itself is entirely fictional,” he said.
During the discussion, an audience member asked why he chose to make a crime thriller when rural narratives are currently popular among Nepali audiences.
Responding to the question, Zhan said:
“I have many Nepali filmmaker friends and am somewhat familiar with the genres preferred by Nepali audiences. I do not believe this film offers an unfamiliar taste to them.”
A Chinese audience member expressed happiness at being able to watch a film in her native language while abroad.
The film also received positive feedback from Nepali viewers.
The event, supported by the Chinese Cultural Center in Kathmandu, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, and the Confucius Institutes of Lumbini Buddhist University, will continue at Chhaya Center, Thamel until Thursday.
