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As part of the third Karnali International Film Festival 2082, launched to showcase Karnali Province’s cultural, linguistic, and touristic heritage to the world, the ‘Film Story Bank’ competition was officially announced in Kathmandu on Friday.
The event was held at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, chaired by festival advisor and former registrar of Mid-Western University, Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mall. Chief guest of the event was former Karnali Province Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi. Other distinguished guests included Karnali Province Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Rajiv Bikram Shah, Minister for Social Development Ghanshyam Bhandari, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Deepak Joshi, Chairperson of Gurans Rural Municipality, Dailekh Top Bahadur Bisi, actor, producer, and writer Deepak Raj Giri, Chief District Officer of Humla Tek Kumar Regmi, content creator Srijana Sijju, Nepal Tourism Board manager Surya Thapliya, among others.
Festival director Chakra Bahadur Chand explained the objectives, goals, and significance of the ‘Film Story Bank’ competition, stating that the initiative aims to reveal Karnali’s hidden stories, history, culture, and social realities through cinema.
CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, Deepak Joshi, emphasized the importance of storytelling in promoting Karnali as a tourist destination. “If people are informed about the upper regions of Karnali and the costs involved in visiting, global interest will increase. Policies must be developed to further promote Karnali. Stories are an effective way to introduce Karnali to the world,” he said.
Actor and producer Deepak Raj Giri described cinema as the best medium to showcase Karnali globally. “Cinema is the most effective way to show Karnali’s beauty. Storytelling holds immense, invisible power. Today, storytelling in films is weakening, so the festival’s initiative to start a story bank is commendable.”
Former Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi expressed that he had heard the concept for the first time and pledged government support. “This is the first time I’ve heard of collecting stories and delivering them to filmmakers. I will advocate for government support for the festival, help create infrastructure for filming in Karnali, and facilitate a favorable environment for both domestic and international productions,” he said.
Festival advisor Dr. Mall highlighted that Karnali’s uniqueness can be promoted nationally and internationally. “There hasn’t been such a search for stories before. When showcasing Nepal’s originality, Karnali comes first,” he said.
The ‘Film Story Bank’ competition is open to all Nepali citizens living in Nepal or abroad. Submitted stories must be original and not previously published or used in any film. Stories should be based on Karnali’s culture, traditions, history, or social realities.
The top three stories will receive cash prizes of NPR 50,000, 30,000, and 20,000, respectively. The authors of the top 15 stories will receive film scriptwriting training. Selected stories will be included in film productions, with authors credited as ‘story writers’ and compensated appropriately.
The deadline for submissions is Poush 16, 2082. Results will be announced on Magh 18, 2082. Scriptwriting training will be conducted on Falgun 13, 2082, and the award ceremony will be held on Falgun 23, 2082. Stories must be submitted to the festival’s email: [email protected].
Under the ‘Ghumau Karnali, Herau Karnali’ campaign, the festival aims to position Karnali as a world-class film tourism destination, while also focusing on social and environmental issues such as climate change and sustainable tourism.
