KATHMANDU: The eighth edition of the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF) will take place in Kathmandu from today, March 20, through March 24.

Organized by the Nepal Film and Cultural Foundation, the festival will showcase 87 films from 40 countries, as shared by festival chairman KP Pathak.

Held under the theme “A Celebration of Stories from Around the World: Nepal International Film Festival,” the event will feature film screenings, workshops, interactive sessions, and other activities, according to Pathak.

“We have aimed to make this edition even grander than previous ones. The films selected from the submissions are sure to captivate film enthusiasts. We are confident this festival will offer a platform for filmmakers worldwide to come together, discuss, and share ideas,” Pathak said.

Additionally, Pathak revealed that a special ‘Russian Film Day’ will take place on the third day of the festival, Saturday, with screenings of three Russian films.

The festival is divided into two categories: national and international. Awards will be presented for feature films, short films, and documentaries.

In the ‘National Panorama’ competition for Nepali feature films, the selected films include Crawling Crows by John Yonjan, Pujaar Sarki by Dinesh Raut, Sano Sansar by Siddharth Pudasaini, and Sati Devi by Laxman Subedi.

The Nepali documentary competition will feature films such as Devi by Subina Shrestha, Chhesang by Rajila Shrestha, Mukti by Gaurav Iyer, No Monastery No Village by Tashi Lajom, Udne Sapana by Deepa Shrestha, and Girls Rewriting Destiny by Love Pyakurel.

A new competition category focused on films created using or related to AI technology has been introduced in this edition, as stated by festival director Pathak.

The new ‘AI Films’ category will include titles like Every Hesitation of Yours Can Destroy the World (China), The Abyss (Argentina), Gold Casting (France), The Dream, the Fog, and the Rain (Peru), and Mob Part 1 (USA).

The best international film will receive the ‘Gautam Buddha Award’ along with a cash prize of US$1,500.

In addition, one film from both the national and international categories will be awarded the ‘Don Quixote Award,’ presented by the International Federation of Cinematographers.

The top Nepali film will receive Rs. 100,000 and a trophy, while the best short film and best documentary will each be awarded Rs. 50,000 and a trophy.

Internationally, the best documentary will receive the ‘Mount Everest Award’ with a cash prize of US$1,000, and the best short film will earn the ‘Bagmati Award’ worth US$500.

The best AI-generated film will be honored with the ‘Manjushree Award,’ accompanied by a US$500 cash prize, as announced by the organizers.