By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 8
The 17th edition of Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (Kimff) is kicking off here from
December 11.
In the five-day festival, more than 70 films, including documentaries, fiction, short, and experimental
films from 29 different countries will be screened, Basanta Thapa, Kimff chair informed at a press meet
on Sunday.
Thapa said, "The festival will entertain and engage the audience in conversations around the issues that
affect the Nepali public".
The Kimff 2019 will also celebrate Sir Edmund Hillary's centennial year by opening with a special
screening of The Ascent of Everest about the conquest of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
Sherpa on May 29, 1953.
The top three winners will be awarded cash prize of Rs. 200,000, Rs. 150,000 and Rs.100,000 sponsored
by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Deep Laxmi Foundation, Fredi-Ursulla Wohland from
Switzerland.
This year Kimff and Open Society Foundations will also present "Paribartit Nepal" short film competition
for young Nepali filmmakers. The three best short films will receive Rs. 40,000, Rs.30,000, and Rs.
20,000 respectively.
Kimff's Nepal Panorama will once again showcase 17 exciting films by local talents, the organisers said.
In Nepal Panorama, The Nepal Film Development Board will sponsor the cash prize of Rs. 75,000 for the
Best Documentary.
The Audience Award of Rs.75,000 is sponsored by Oscar International College of Film Studies, Thapa
said.
In the presence of filmmakers, film enthusiasts, critics, scholars, journalists, artists and mountaineers,
Kimff will include discussion forums, guest lectures, exhibitions of books and photos and installation art
projects, they said.
Kimff will co-present an interactive storytelling session about snow leopard conservation with WWF
Nepal.
Likewise, panel discussions with Plan International Nepal and the British Council are also planned.
The Festival highlights also include Master Classes by Australian adventurer and filmmaker Michael
Dillon and Nepal artist Tsherin Sherpa, Thapa said.