Nepal International Human Rights Film Festival begins

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 10: The 12th edition of the Nepal International Human Rights Film Festival kicked off in Kathmandu on Monday.  The festival, organised under the theme of ‘Social Justice’, began at the Film Development Board’s Hall and will run until December 12.

 The event was inaugurated by Top Bahadur Magar, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission. Inaugurating the festival, Magar said that cinema is an effective medium for the protection, promotion and promotion of human rights. 

“The National Human Rights Commission has been collaborating with the festival for the protection and promotion of human rights. We are interested in how human rights issues can be embedded in cinema. The series of crimes such as child marriage, violence against women, and caste discrimination prohibited by law in society have not stopped.”

 Cinema has an important role in the protection and promotion of human rights, he added.

Pandav Khatri, President of the Nepal International Human Rights Film Centre, said that the festival would be held at the halls of the Film Development Board and the Tourism Board.

Likewise, Dinesh DC, Chairman of the Film Development Board, said that along with human rights, the exposure and knowledge provided to Nepali cinema makers towards international films is very important.

 Films showcased and awarded at globally renowned festivals like Cannes and Berlin will also be screened during the festival. A total of 53 films from 23 countries, including Nepal, will be showcased over four days.

The opening film was ‘The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent’, which won an award in the short film category at Cannes. Another Cannes award-winning film, ‘All We Imagine as Light’, is scheduled for screening on December 10. 

Likewise, Subina Shrestha's film ‘Devi’ will be screened on December 11.  Documentary filmmaker and visual editor Nilotpal Majumdar will conduct a masterclass on the topic ‘Co-production, Landscape, and Local Stories for Global Audiences.’ Filmmakers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and other countries have reportedly arrived to participate in the festival.

Throughout the festival, various sessions will be held on different aspects of films, along with photo exhibitions. 

The festival, which has been advocating for human rights protection, has been organised for the past 15 years, according to  Chairperson Khatri.