Festival of mountain films

Kathmandu, the UNESCO-designated city of film, is all set to celebrate cinema with the 22nd edition of KIMFF from 28 May to 1 June.

The Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival this year features a selection of 65 films from all over the world on the theme of mountains.

The festival opens with the Nepal premiere of Jeremy Power Regimbal’s documentary ‘Between the Mountain and the Sky’ featuring Surkhet-based educationist and CNN Hero Maggie Doyne. 

Launched in 2000 by a journalists’ collective, KIMFF has evolved over the years, bringing in new themes like climate breakdown, indigenous groups, tourism and Himalayan culture.

“This time we are prioritising people-driven stories and, most importantly, Nepali voice,” says KIMFF convener Ramyata Limbu. 

This year’s films reflect broader changes in Nepal’s filmmaking landscape, as access to technology and storytelling platforms expand. Kimff’s Nepal Panorama section over the years has become a launchpad for many of the country’s leading independent filmmakers. This year, The festival is widening its scope with its inaugural Kathmandu DocLab.

This is a five-day incubator designed for the South Asians by the South Asian filmmakers and aims to foster local talent from the region and equip them with the tools to craft globally resonant stories. 

“DocLab is a place for filmmakers to come together to work on their ideas and to make the stories even more engaging,” says its director Alok Adhikari. “Documentaries are regarded as a boring genre. We want to change the narrative by learning to tell engaging stories.”

The DocLab aims to demystify fund-raising for films outside South Asia and simulate a real-world film market. The nine selected participants will be mentored by Anam Abbas (Pakistan-Canada), Arun Bhattarai (Bhutan), and Rintu Thomas (India).

“In documentary filmmaking, a regional context is even more crucial, which South Asians inherently understand,” explains Adhikari. “Too often, when these ideas are pitched to Western investors, key cultural elements get lost in translation.”

After the workshop, participants will pitch ideas to audiences and filmmakers. The top three projects get prize money, and DocLab will also connect them with international industry partners to secure funds. 

This year’s festival will also host a Cut.Katha Documentary Pitch, supported by the British Council, in which five Nepali women filmmakers will pitch short documentary projects. Other highlights include a Nikon Youth photography/filmmaking workshop and a VR installation of  Maya: The Birth of a Superhero.

“Kathmandu is now a regional hub for documentary filmmaking, offering industry connection, creative collaboration and access to the global film market much like the world’s biggest film festivals,” says Ramyata Limbu.

The festival is taking place simultaneously at QFX Chhaya Centre, Astrek Park, and GAA Hall in Thamel. 

Watchlist

Have you seen my gods? 

A compelling and deeply personal journey to track down the whereabouts of Kathmandu’s stolen sacred deities, many of which are displayed in museums across the United States. To honour his grandmother’s final wish, Joshi looks for stolen gods.  

60 min | Nepal/United States | 2025 

English/ Nepali

Director: Amitabh Joshi 

Butterfly Bhutan  

Sonam Phuntsho, a devoted Buddhist, starts questioning the environmental impact of acrylic prayer flags. The documentary follows Sonam as he starts removing flags, getting push back from his own community. 

30 min | Bhutan | 2024

Dzongkha

Director: Sonam Yangzom

Songs of Love and Hate 

Prem hosts a popular radio program on relationship advice. Afflicted by a heartbreak himself, he navigates an emotional rollercoaster of love along with his listeners. 

17 min | Nepal | 2024 

Nepali

Director: Saurav Ghimire 

The Lama’s Son 

A Bonpo Lama waits for his sushi chef son to return from New York. But he does not want to come back threatening the family’s ancestral lineage. 

72 min | Nepal | 2025 

Lo-Kay/Tibetan

Director: Kesang Tseten 

Kottukkaali

A woman falls in love with a man from a lower caste, and spotlights the dangerous discrimination still dormant in Indian families and society. 

101 min | India | 2023 

Tamil

Director: Vinothraj PS