Promoting the Art of Filmmaking at the Nepal Cine-Symposium
With the stated aim of ‘Promoting Nepali Cinema in the South Asian Spectrum’, the Nepal Cine-Symposium will be held from November 18 to 22 in Kathmandu. Cinema enthusiasts will have the opportunity to view a selection of critically acclaimed short and full-length films, while those involved in the film industry will be able to attend discussions and workshops with a view to sharing, learning and networking with fellow filmmakers from around the world.
Coordinator of the Nepal Cine-Symposium, AbhiManyu Dixit, noted that the festival’s program will highlight the possibilities of cinema, while debating and discussing paths that can be explored to promote the art of filmmaking. While film festivals are popular around the world, with crowds flocking to view the end result of filmmakers’ hard work, the Nepal Cine-Symposium will introduce a different format in which audiences can interact with filmmakers. It must be noted, however, that audience members who want to participate in this aspect of the festival need to register to do so.
Screenings at the event will include the award-winning Bangladeshi film The Clay Bird (Matir Moina) directed by Tareque Masud and set against the backdrop of historically accurate events leading up to the Bangladesh War of Liberation. Described as a “rap musical” the film Gandu is one of India’s films to be presented at the festival, while Sri Lanka has entered the film Machan, which was well received at the Venice Film Festival. Nepal filmmakers will be presenting the short film Lalteen, as well as Fairytale of Kathmandu. With more than 30 films, of which fifteen are full-feature productions, there is plenty of variety to choose from when attending the Nepal Cine-Symposium as an audience member.
Workshops and lectures will be presented by prominent producers and directors, including Christoph Thoke from Germany, as well as Vimukthi Jayasundara from Sri Lanka and Mohammad Farooki from Bangladesh. All these producers are respected in the international film industry and the organizers of the festival believe they will be a source of inspiration and knowledge to both aspiring and established filmmakers. Other VIPs at the Nepal Cine-Symposium include Vice President of Mediacorp in Singapore, Shaily Tan, and the coordinator for the Goteborg International Film Festival, Camilla Larson.
Visitors to the Nepal Cine-Symposium should be sure to set aside some time to explore one of Nepal’s most exciting destinations, and the host city for the festival, exotic and mystical Kathmandu.
