Kathmandu, February 3
Film Director Deependra Gauchan and actress Surakshya Panta have been selected as jury of the 8th Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF), scheduled to take place in Kathmandu from March 20 to 24.
Deependra Gauchan has been appointed as a jury Head for the short film and documentary category, while actress Surakshya Panta has been confirmed as a jury member for the feature film category. According to the organiser, discussions and workshops on contemporary issues will be held at the festival among domestic and foreign filmmakers, high-level politicians, and prominent figures of society.
This year, the festival has selected 87 films from 40 countries, informed the organiser. The films to be screened at the festival have also been showcased at prestigious festivals such as Busan, Cannes, Locarno, Berlin, and other national and international film festivals. From this year, the organiser has also included films made using AI (Artificial Intelligence) with the intention of embracing new technology and offering the audience a fresh cinematic experience.
According to the organiser, the best feature film under the international competition will be awarded the Gautam Buddha Award with a cash prize of 1,500 US dollars. The best international documentary will be awarded the Mount Everest Award with a cash prize of 1,000 US dollars, and the best international short film will receive the Bagmati Award with a cash prize of 500 US dollars. Likewise, the best AI (Artificial Intelligence) film will be awarded the Manjushree Award with a cash prize of 500 US dollars.
Similarly, the best feature film under the Nepali competition will be awarded Rs. 100,000 and a trophy, while the best short film and best documentary will be awarded Rs. 50,000 each, said the organiser. K.P. Pathak Chairman of Nepal Film & Cultural Academy (NFCA) Chairman of NIFF.
