International Mountain Film Festival Kicks Off in Kathmandu

Kathmandu. The International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) has started in Kathmandu from Wednesday. The festival began with the premiere of the feature film 'Shape of Momos' directed by Tribeni Rai. Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel formally inaugurated the festival by ringing a traditional bell.

At the program, Minister Paudel emphasized the importance of the tradition of storytelling through film and the need to celebrate each person's different stories as an integral part of our culture.

'Platforms like KIMFF can be an important starting point for the journey of filmmakers like us,' said director Rai.

KIMFF, which will run for five days, features more than 50 films from 29 countries, including fiction, documentary, short films, and adventure films. Along with stories from around the world, the Nepal Panorama section prioritizes local voices, focusing on the work of emerging and established Nepali filmmakers. The festival will run until May 31 at QFX Chhaya Center in Thamel.

'This year's films present diverse stories of people, culture, and a rapidly changing world. We want to foster creativity in the film community and enhance sensitivity towards important stories,' said Festival Director Ramya Limbu.

Before the inauguration, a live pitching session of nine South Asian documentary projects developed under the second edition of Kathmandu Doc Lab was completed. Those projects were guided by filmmakers Anam Abbas from Canada, Arun Bhattarai from Bhutan, and Sarvanik Kaur from India through a five-day residential incubator program.

The international jury for KIMFF 2026 includes Indian International Film Programmer Dipti D. Cunha, Director of Thailand Film Archive Chalida Uabumrungjit, and Nepal's writer and poet Kumar Nagarkoti. The Nepal Panorama jury includes Lucy De Barros, film director Naveen Chauhan, and film journalist and critic Reena Moktan.