Indigenous film fest starts in Pokhara

The first edition of International Indigenous Film Festival (IIFF) began in the scenic tourist hotspot of Pokhara from Friday.

Minister for Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly Affairs Dev Gurung formally inaugurated the festival.

Speaking at the programme, Minister Gurung pledged that the government will introduce special programmes to conserve as well as promote the unique customs, languages, dialects and cultures of various ethnic groups of the country.

The two-day film festival will showcase 16 feature films made in different languages of Nepal including Newar, Magar, Khas (Nepali), Tamang, Rai, Tharu and Gurung, said Maotse Gurung, chairman of Gurung Film Association (GFA), the main organizer of the festival.

He said one of the main aims of the festival is to promote the local as well as international market of these films.

On the first day of the festival, the audience at the Pokhara City Hall were treated with a Gurung language film which followed the ups and downs in the life of an orphan who grew up in the lap of the Himalayas from his birth to youth.

A Rajbanshi film named ‘Devsari’ was also screened, and was equally appreciated by the festival audience. nepalnews.com Nov 14 08