Everest Film Festival boosts Nepal-China cultural ties

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, May 29: The Nepal Everest Film Festival, organised to connect Nepali cinema with the Chinese market, is expected to strengthen cultural ties between Nepal and China.A press conference was held on Thursday at the Nepal Film Development Board to share details about the film festival held in Hunan, China.

The festival took place in Changsha and Hengyang cities of Hunan Province from 14 to 19 April 2026, marking the 71st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China. 

With the theme ‘Lights and Shadows Converge, Mountains Shine Together’, the organisers said it was a historic initiative to connect Nepali films with Chinese audiences and the broader film market.

Speaking at a programme held to share the festival experience, Karun Thapa, President of the Nepal AI Film Alliance and the Everest Film Festival, said the initiative began nearly three years ago.

Out of 23 Nepali films submitted for the festival, 11 were shortlisted and six ultimately passed the Chinese censorship process. 

The selected films included ‘Anjila,’  ‘Chhakka Panja 5,’  ‘Tel Visa,’  ‘Mahajatra,’  ‘Kabaddi 4’ and ‘Hostel 3.’ During the seven-day event in Changsha and Hengyang, Nepali films were screened simultaneously in five cinemas, as informed in the programme. 

The organisers also highlighted the AI Filmmaking Conference held during the festival as a major achievement. 

The festival also announced plans for Nepal-China co-produced films. Discussions were held with film organisations from the Hong Kong-Macau-Guangdong Bay Area regarding the expansion of Nepali films into Chinese cinemas and OTT platforms.

Chinese festival chairman Jiang Bo recalled that the event became possible after more than two years of preparation since the initial concept in 2021.

Organisers said the Chinese side had shown positive interest in releasing some of the featured Nepali films in Chinese cinemas and OTT platforms in the future.