Nepal Everest Film Festival Winners Honoured in Kathmandu; Deepak Raj Giri and Miruna Magar Receive $1,000 Awards

Kathmandu: Winners of the Nepal Everest Film Festival (Nepali Film Week), held in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, from April 14 to 19, were honoured with cash awards at a special ceremony in Kathmandu.

Organised with the support of the Nepal Film Development Board, the event was attended by an eight-member Chinese delegation, along with prominent Nepali actors, directors, producers, technicians, and media representatives.

According to the organisers, the winners were selected by a panel of Chinese film scholars, industry experts, and film college students under the coordination of Dr. Simmon Qiu.

The Best Film award went to Anjila, which received a cash prize of USD 4,000. Shankar Ghimire won the Best Director award for Tel Visa, receiving USD 2,000.

In the acting categories, Deepak Raj Giri was named Best Actor for Chhakka Panja, while Miruna Magar won Best Actress for Kabaddi 4. Both received USD 1,000 each.

In the technical categories, Purushottam Pradhan was honoured as Best Cinematographer for Mahajatra, while Banish Shah and Bikash Dahal received the Best Editing award for Hostel 3. Each award carried a cash prize of USD 1,000.

The ceremony also recognised individuals who have contributed to strengthening Nepal-China cooperation in the film industry. Li Han, Chairman of Guangzhou Siguangyun Technology and the festival's principal sponsor, was presented with a special honour. Members of the Chinese delegation were also recognised for promoting cultural ties between the two countries through cinema.

The Chinese delegation honoured Dinesh DC, Chairman of the Nepal Film Development Board, and Karun Thapa, President of the Nepal Everest Film Festival (Nepal chapter), for their contributions to enhancing Nepal-China cultural collaboration.

Speaking at the event, festival founder Li Hongshu said that art and cinema transcend geographical boundaries and reaffirmed his commitment to deepening cultural exchange between Nepal and China through films.

Festival President Karun Thapa described the initiative as a historic opportunity for Nepali films to reach Chinese cinemas and major OTT platforms.

Nepal Film Development Board Chairman Dinesh DC expressed confidence that the growing interest in Nepali cinema in China would open new commercial opportunities in the Chinese market.

During the ceremony, all attendees, at the request of veteran actor Harihar Sharma, gave a standing ovation to the visiting Chinese delegation in appreciation of their support.

Chinese organisers and investors also expressed strong interest in co-producing and investing in Nepali films. Discussions were held on collaborating to distribute AI-assisted Nepali films through leading Chinese OTT platforms.

According to the organisers, future editions of the Nepal Everest Film Festival will be expanded with increased prize money and broader international participation, further strengthening cinematic collaboration between Nepal and China.