Janakpur International Film Festival begins

By Dharbendra Jha

Dhanisha, Mar 1 : Madhes Province Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh has said that Janakpurdham has a rich and ancient artistic and cultural heritage.

Inaugurating the three-day Janakpur International Film Festival on Friday, the Chief Minister said that the film festival would help promote tourism and contribute to the economic prosperity of the province.

Organised by Sambad Foundation, the festival began on Friday in Janakpurdham, the capital of Madhes Province.

 He highlighted that cinema is also an effective medium for social change and that such festivals would help bring Mithila’s art and culture to the global market. 

He further urged parents to recognise their children's talents and nurture them, expressing that events like this in Janakpurdham would help produce more artists.

Likewise, former Minister Juli Mahato said that Janakpurdham holds a unique identity in the world, with its art, culture and heritage being of great significance. 

She stressed the need for collective efforts to create an environment conducive to film shooting in Janakpurdham. 

Additionally, she added that the city requires substantial infrastructure development and called for cooperation from all three levels of government to achieve this.

Madhes Province’s Minister for Labour and Transport, Kaushal Kumar Yadav, said that the importance of such festivals in bringing Nepali films to the global market. 

He pointed out that religious, cultural and traditional aspects of Nepal could be showcased to the international community through cinema.

Nepali Congress leader and Provincial Assembly Member Ram Saroj Yadav stated that cinema is the most powerful medium for generating awareness and eradicating societal evils.

 Similarly, CPN-UML youth leader and Provincial Assembly Member Dipendra Thakur stated that Janakpurdham is a historically significant place and that cinema could play a vital role in presenting its uniqueness to the world.

Chairman of Sambad Foundation, Kumar Bhaskar, who presided over the event, stated that the festival was organised to internationalise the Nepali film industry, promote the market, explore possibilities and opportunities, and support the development of local film culture.

The festival, being held at the Maithili Development Fund building, will run for three days and will showcase a total of 78 films selected from 10 different categories.