Awarding Sati Devi as best film, Sauraha SA Film Festival concludes

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 7: ‘Sati Devi’ directed by Laxman Subedi won the Best Film Award in the five-day Sauraha South Asian Film Festival.

The festival, organised by Caravan Nepal from February 1 to 5 in Sauraha, Chitwan, concluded on Monday by presenting the prestigious title and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 to Sati Devi. 

 Director Subedi received the award from Gyanu Regmi, the wife of the late director Shiva Regmi and their son Dr. Abhishek Regmi.

Likewise, Dr. Sachin Ghimire and Gaurav KC received the best documentary award for their work ‘Ma Alap Huna Chahanchhu’ along with a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.

Pradip Pokharel’s ‘Snow Leopard’ bagged the award of Rs. 25,000 for Best Short Film.

 Banisha Shah was recognised as the Best Editor for ‘Nango Gaun.’

Sankalp Bhujel received the Best Cinematographer award for ‘Bichchhed,’ while Satyaraj Chaulagain and Mukun Bhusal were honoured with the Best Screenwriting Award for the same film. 

Likewise, the ‘Jury Encouragement Award’ was presented to Roshan Kumar Shrestha’s musical film ‘Bhagya.’

Over 40 films from South Asian countries participated in the festival and 20 of them were screened.

Awards and accolades were presented by Geeta Gurung, a member of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly to outstanding filmmakers and films. 

Love Pyakurel, a senior documentary director, was the jury coordinator.

Bimal Poudel, President of Caravan Nepal, expressed the commitment to hosting the festival annually in Sauraha.

He announced that if the government provided two bighas of land, he would build a movie museum, an ashram for elderly filmmakers, and a state-of-the-art studio for indoor shooting. Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Assembly member Gurung pledged to raise her voice in the Assembly and coordinate with the local government for the support.