Human Rights Int’l Film Festival going on

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 11: The 11th edition of the Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival, with the theme of ‘Collective Rights’, began on Saturday at the Nepal Tourism Board and the Film Development Board.

Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Top Bahadur Magar, inaugurated the festival on Saturday.

Speaking at the programme, Magar said that film serves as an influential means of education, contributing to the protection and awareness of human rights issues such as child kidnapping, violence against women, and caste discrimination prevalent in society.

Magar said that films could play a pivotal role in addressing and rectifying grave violations of human rights.

Bishnu Khatri, President of the Human Rights Film Centre, expressed the organisation’s commitment to utilising various forms of art for campaigns related to study, research, education, dialogue, and political advocacy. 

Arundev Joshi, the festival’s chairman, said that 54 films from 27 countries, will be showcased in the festival.

These films, received through open applications worldwide, cover diverse perspectives on human rights, including contributions from countries like Nepal, France, Spain, the United States, Australia, and India, Joshi added.

The opening featured the screening of Subhangi Khadka’s documentary ‘The Age of Learning’ and a musical performance by the Gorkhali Takma band. 

The jury of the festival includes Michael Brown from the UK, Anupama Bose from India and Pashupati Rai from Nepal.

Five films selected by the jury will be awarded with cash prizes and awards under the international feature competition, international short fiction and non-fiction and Nepali short fiction and non-fiction categories. Similarly, the Best Nepali Woman Filmmaker will also be awarded.

The festival also includes a photo exhibition on human rights issues. 

The festival will conclude on December 12, after awarding and honouring filmmakers at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu.

At the closing ceremony of the festival, British short film ‘Yellow’, directed by Elham Ehsas, will be screened.