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Kathmandu – Preparations for the 9th Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF), scheduled from April 1 to April 5, are gaining momentum as organizers roll out a series of pre-event programs.
As part of its pre-event activities, the festival is hosting discussions with film personalities to build engagement ahead of the main event.
On Thursday, NIFF organized an interaction titled “Her Cinema, Her Voice” at Kantipur Theatre in Naxal, featuring women directors Samundra Bhatt, Usha Rajak, and Sangeeta Shrestha.
According to NIFF president KP Pathak, the program aimed to highlight the challenges women filmmakers face in Nepal’s largely male-dominated film industry.
“The goal is to let women directors speak about the problems they face simply because of their gender,” Pathak said. “We want their voices to become part of a broader public discussion.”
During the discussion, the directors shared personal experiences of discrimination and professional challenges while working in the industry.
Director Sangeeta Shrestha said women directors often struggle to receive recognition for their intellectual and creative contributions.
Meanwhile, director Samundra Bhatt described incidents where her authority as a director was undermined during production.
Director Usha Rajak added that women filmmakers also face difficulties in gaining trust from investors and sponsors.
“Women directors often struggle to secure funding because the market doesn’t fully trust their projects,” Rajak said.
As part of the festival, NIFF will also host “NIFF Feature Pitch,” a program designed to connect writers with producers.
The initiative will allow writers to present their story ideas directly to potential producers. The program is scheduled for April 3, the third day of the festival, with applications open until March 19.
Additionally, NIFF has launched a youth-focused competition titled “Frame Your Future.” Participants are required to create a two-minute video based on their story idea.
The competition will award Rs 15,000 for first place, Rs 10,000 for second, and Rs 5,000 for third place, with applications open until March 24.
