Pathak's vision drives NIFF forward

Kathmandu, Jan. 9: Film director, producer, journalist, and film festival director KP Pathak has worn many hats throughout his dedicated journey in the entertainment industry.

 Pathak, who began his career from theatre, has emerged as a key figure in taking Nepali cinema onto the global stage, particularly through his leadership in organising international film festivals.

Born in Nuwakot, Pathak moved to Kathmandu in the1980s. After completing his schooling and appearing for the SLC examination, he found himself with free time and, almost incidentally, became involved in theatre. At the time, he had no clear intention of pursuing a lifelong career in the entertainment sector. Gradually, as people began to recognise his talent, he started enjoying performing on stage.

Over the next four years, he actively performed in stage plays and eventually jumped to film industry doing minor roles in 1989. Although acting exposed his talents to public, it proved neither financially sustainable nor creatively fulfilling.

In 1991, he directed his first feature film, ‘Karma Rekha.’ This marked his formal entry into film direction and a deeper engagement with the Nepali film industry.

Alongside filmmaking, Pathak developed a strong interest in journalism, primarily as a means to build professional networks and broaden his involvement in the cultural sector. 

Between 1994 and 1998, he wrote and directed popular television serials, including ‘Niyati,’ which featured prominent actors such as Saroj Khanal and Pooja Chand. In 1996, he directed the comedy serial ‘Tai Chup Mai Chup,’ featuring now-renowned artists such as Deepak Raj Giri, Deepa Shree Niraula, Jitu Nepal, and others.

Following his marriage and amid growing professional uncertainty, Pathak travelled to the United States for further learning and exposure. Upon returning to Nepal, he directed the film ‘Gajal’ in 2001. He later made ‘The Beginning,’ a film specifically aimed at international film festivals. 

In 2006, he directed the one-shot short film ‘Aimai,’ followed by the feature film ‘Maina.’ In addition, he produced around a dozen documentaries on various subjects, including Indra Jatra and Kartik Dance, among others.

He has already prepared a new script for a feature film targeting a global audience and plans to begin shooting between April and May this year.

In 2008, Pathak became the Chairman of the Film Directors’ Guild of Nepal, serving two consecutive terms. In 2018, under his initiative, the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF) was launched. From that point onwards, his focus shifted increasingly towards institutional development, particularly in the area of film festivals.

Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF)

Recalling his experiences, Pathak said that the first two editions of Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF) were extremely challenging. However, from the third edition onwards, the festival expanded its film network and partnered with the global platform FilmFreeway.com for film submissions.

During the third edition, NIFF invited renowned Indian filmmaker Prakash Jha. The festival also organised an online master class with Anurag Kashyap, a leading Bollywood director. Additionally, NIFF hosted Professor Xie Fei, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Film Academy and one of China’s most influential filmmakers and educators. The festival successfully attracted several international filmmakers, significantly enhancing its global profile.

Despite growing recognition, NIFF faced unexpected setbacks due to political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic, which created continuous challenges in organising the festival. Today, hosting a festival like NIFF requires a budget of over Rs. 5 million, excluding venue costs, as venues are generally provided by organiser partners.

Challenges in organising 

film festival

One of the biggest challenges Pathak highlights is the absence of a film market, where buyers and sellers can trade films. Without such a market, festivals struggle to gain international credibility. Additionally, limited budgets make it difficult to attract high-quality films, renowned filmmakers, and international critics to Nepal.

To draw international delegates, organisers often have to cover travel, accommodation, and hospitality costs, as Nepal remains an untested destination for film trade.

 Unlike major international festivals, which host grand opening and closing ceremonies in five-star hotels with hundreds of guests, Nepali festivals are forced to operate modestly, often limited to small networking dinners with 150-200 attendees.

Despite these constraints, film festivals continue to survive through the dedication of volunteers and the passion of filmmakers, he added. 

Financial challenges

Since 2019, the Film Development Board (FDB) has providing Rs. 600,000 annually to host the NIFF. However, this year the support was reduced to Rs. 450,000, a decision strongly opposed by Pathak. He questions how a festival of international scale can survive independently when nearly 90 per cent of the effort goes into fundraising.

According to him, festivals cannot become self-sustaining unless a film market is established. Citing international examples such as Busan, Cannes, and Berlin, he said that every successful festival operates alongside a strong film market. With government support and an investment of Rs. 40-50 million, NIFF could develop such a platform, attract international filmmakers, and significantly boost Nepal’s film economy and tourism. 

Losses and gains

Pathak claimed a personal loss of around Rs. 4 million, stating that he invested his own money into the festival. Despite public misconceptions that he profited financially, he considers the global network he built spanning 83 countries to be his greatest achievement. “Spreading Nepali cinema internationally is the real gain,” he said.

NIFF 2026 

This year, films from 83 countries have been submitted, with over 800 entries, including more than 100 Nepali films. The five-day festival was initially scheduled for March 5-9, although upcoming elections may force a postponement to April 2-6, said Pathak.

A key focus of this edition will be Artificial Intelligence in filmmaking. NIFF plans to organise a five-day AI Lab, inviting both local and international experts to educate young filmmakers on modern technology and the use of AI in cinema.

While acknowledging that Nepal cannot yet be compared with global giants such as Berlin, Cannes, or Toronto, Pathak firmly believes that consistent effort, youth engagement, institutional collaboration, and the introduction of a film market can elevate Nepali film festivals to international standards.

For him, film festivals are not merely events they are platforms for cultural exchange, artistic dialogue, and global visibility for Nepali cinema.