Nepal America International Film Festival 2019 Completes Third Annual Event, Nepal Ambassador Attends

By Yubakar Rajkarnikar // Photos By Rajiv Shrestha // @NAIFFUSA

The world continues to get smaller.

With the success of the third annual Nepal America International Film Festival hosted by the Maryland-Nepal-America International Film Society, cultures came together June 28 - 30.

The festival series was screened at Hyattsville’s Regal Hyattsville Royale Stadium 14.

The Maryland-Nepal-America International Film Festival 2019 included screening of 34 films – from Nepal, the Unites States and nearly a dozen other countries and two panel discussions on film topics. The third installment of the festival was launched by the Nepal-U.S. Ambassador H.E. Dr. Arjun Kumar Karki at the launching ceremony June 28 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. The ceremony included the screening of the critically acclaimed feature film from Nepal – Bulbul (Director – Binod Paudel). Purna Singh Baraili served as festival director.

Jack Gerbes, director of Maryland Film Office attended the opening ceremony. He welcomed Maryland filmmakers and expressed an interest in working together. Tom Hucker, a Montgomery County Councilmember spoke of the importance of film festival in a diverse culture. He expressed his commitment to support Nepal America International Film Festival and filmmakers in the county.

Fagun Haway of Bangladesh won for the Best Feature Film (“In Spring Breeze,” Director: Tauquir Ahmed), among 11 winning films in various categories.

Over the following two days, visitors at the festival enjoyed nearly three dozen films--which included shorts, features and documentaries--from Nepal, Canada, Germany, Ethiopia, Iran, Portugal, Argentina, India, Bangladesh, Serbia, Russia, France and the United States. The festival also included six films in the DMV Close Up section featuring shorts and documentaries from the DC, Maryland and Virginia area. A sidebar on the Global Peace Film Festival also featured two American documentaries. Both were screened at the Regal Hyattsville Royale.

DMV Close UP films included:

1. “Ballet After Dark” Dir. Barbara K. Asare-Bediako 19:07 min

2. “Doctor C.” Dir: Stanley Preston 1:06 min

3. “Five O'Clock Shadow” Dir: Sangeeta Agrawal 7:14 min

4. “Process” Dir: Joe Carabao 20:36 min
5. “The Charles Effect” Dir: Theodore A. Adams III 9:59 min

6. “Within” Dir: Aaron Curtis 12:01 min

DMV Close Up Award Winners:

Special Mention – “Poor Greg Drowning” Director – Jeffrey Scott Collins.
DMV Appreciation Award – “Doctor C.” Director – Stanley Preston
Special Mention – “5 O’clock Shadow” Director – Sangeeta Agrawal
Special Mention – “Ballet After Dark” Director – Barbara K. Asare-Bediako

Another feature from Nepal - Kathaa ‘72 (“The Story of ‘72” Director: Prabin Syangbo) was screened as part of the closing ceremony June 30 at AFI.

The two panel discussions were held at the Brentwood Arts Exchange in Brentwood. Topics of discussion at the panel included “Moving Pictures: Theatre to Smartphone” and “Filmmakers Bridge Talk” with filmmakers and experts from Nepal and the United States. The panel discussion was supported by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The 2019 film award winners:

1. Best Feature Film – Fagun Haway (“In Spring Breeze”). Director – Tauquir Ahmed.

2. Special Mention – “Poor Greg Drowning” Director – Jeffrey Scott Collins.

3. Grand Jury Prize – Avashesh (“The Ramains”). Director – Manoj Babu Panta

4. Best Documentary Film – “A Little Wisdom” Director - Yuqi Kang.

5. Special Mention – Tahara (“Shelter”). Director – Deepak Tolange.

6. Best Short Film – “Are you Volleyball?!” Director - MohammadBakshi

7. Special Mention – “Supermonk” Director – Shenang Gyamjo Tamang

8. Special Mention – Tattini (“The Moon Is Bright Tonight”). Director – Abinash Bikram Shah

9. DMV Appreciation Award – “Doctor C.” Director – Stanley Preston

10. Special Mention – “5 O’clock Shadow” Director – Sangeeta Agrawal

11. Special Mention – “Ballet After Dark” Director – Barbara K. Asare-Bediako