Kathmandu – The ‘Second Karnali International Film Festival,’ aimed at promoting the Nepali film industry and supporting the tourism development of the Karnali Province, is set to begin on the 24th of Falgun. Organized by Red Cherry Media, the festival strives to bring the slogan “Visit Karnali, Explore Karnali” to life, showcasing the natural beauty, cultural diversity, and tourism potential of Karnali to the world.
According to the festival’s director, Chakrabhadur Chand, the festival has ambitious plans to highlight the historical and cultural significance of Karnali both nationally and internationally. This year, the festival will also focus on climate change issues and will host the ‘Rara Film Tourism and Climate Change Summit.’ The festival will include a variety of activities such as film screenings, workshops, interactions, and an award ceremony.
Film actor Pradeep Khadka and actress Suraksha Pant have been appointed as goodwill ambassadors for the festival. Khadka expressed his belief that the festival will establish films as a powerful medium for promoting tourism. Reflecting on the shooting of his movie Prem Geet 2 at Rara Lake, he discussed the significant impact films have had on tourism in Karnali.
Actress Pant shared her personal connection with Karnali through her film Bulaki, and expressed confidence that the festival would help highlight the stories of Karnali even further. She also mentioned her desire to act in more films based on the life stories of Karnali and believed that the festival’s launch would strengthen efforts to raise awareness about Karnali at both national and international levels.
The second edition of the festival will officially open in Surkhet, the capital of Karnali Province, on the 24th of Falgun. On the 16th of Chaitra, the ‘Karnali International Film Tourism and Climate Award Ceremony’ will be held at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, while the ‘Rara Film Tourism and Climate Summit’ will take place at the Rara Lake area in Mugu on the 30th of Chaitra.
The festival has been strengthened by the cooperation of various governmental and non-governmental bodies, including the Film Development Board, Nepal Tourism Board, and the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). Dinesh DC, the chairman of the Film Development Board, described the festival as an important tool for promoting film tourism and expressed hope that it will contribute significantly to Nepal’s tourism development.
Rohini Prasad Khanal, Senior Manager at the Nepal Tourism Board, mentioned that the government is making necessary policy provisions to promote film tourism. Bhawani Rana, former president of FNCCI, emphasized that the private sector has always supported both film and tourism. Actor Shiv Shrestha remarked that the festival has brought the distant region of Karnali closer to people’s hearts.
The festival has also raised the global issue of climate change in the context of Karnali. It is expected that the festival will play a vital role in raising public awareness about climate change through the medium of film.
