Third Karnali International Film Festival Awards 2083: 'Unko Sweater' Dominates

Kathmandu. The movie 'Unko Sweater' swept the maximum number of awards, including Best Film, at the award ceremony of the 'Third Karnali International Film Festival 2083' organized at the Nepal Tourism Board in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, on Saturday. 

While 'Unko Sweater', produced by ArtMundu Nepal, was declared the Best Feature Film, Bipin Karki won the Best Actor award and Nabin Chauhan received the Best Director award for the same movie.

Similarly, Jasita Gurung was declared the Best Actress for the film 'Jerry on Top', while actor Paul Shah was honored with the 'Social Icon Actor Award'. Raj Bahadur Sane received the Karnali Audition Award (Director), Ashish Tamang won the Emerging Film Producer and Distributor Award, and 'Happiness', produced by Flying Feather Films of Mugu, won the Best Short Film Award.

Likewise, Santosh Sen, the producer of 'Prem Geet 2', was honored with the Karnali Visionary Award.

Expressing her happiness after receiving the first award of her life, actress Jasita Gurung dedicated the award to all the audience members. Actor Paul Shah, who was honored with the 'Social Icon Actor Award', stated that this award made him feel more responsible and expressed his commitment to continuing social work through his organization in the coming days. Navin Chauhan, who won the Best Director award for his very first film, thanked the organizers for evaluating his work and stated that he was deeply overwhelmed.

The main attraction of the ceremony, held under the chairmanship of the festival's advisor and former registrar Dr. Mahendra Kumar Malla, was a discussion titled 'Looking Back at History—First Film Award Dialogue'. The dialogue was held under the chairmanship of senior artist Narendra Bahadur Shrestha, who had organized the 'Nepal Film Award' for the first time in 2042 B.S. by inviting Indian actress Shabana Azmi to Nepal.

In the interaction facilitated by senior director and Nepali film historian Prakash Sayami, senior actor Shiva Shrestha and senior actress Sharmila Malla shared their glorious experiences. Senior artist Shiva Shrestha and the festival's patron and former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Bhawani Rana, were present as special guests at the ceremony.

Festival Director Chakra Bahadur Chand clarified that the main objective of this festival is to introduce Karnali's hidden art, culture, and tourism potential to the world through Nepali cinema, and that the organizers are making efforts to link cinema with tourism promotion along with honoring art. Similarly, Surya Thapaliya, Senior Manager of the Nepal Tourism Board, delivered a speech on the potential of cinema and tourism, as well as the role of the Tourism Board in it.

The ceremony was attended by distinguished personalities including former chairperson of the Film Development Board Krishna Malla, president of the Nepal Film Actors Association Uttam KC, president of the Film Directors Society of Nepal Arun Pradhan, senior actress and director/producer Rekha Thapa, actor Dil Shrestha, artist Himesh Panta, producer Prem Puri, artist Pabitra Sanki (Miss Pabi), lyricist Harka Saud, the festival's goodwill ambassador and actress Surakshya Panta, and producer and director Santosh Sen, among others.

The festival's patron, Bhawani Rana, extended her best wishes to the organizing organization, 'Red Cherry Media', for the continuity of the festival, while advisor Dr. Mahendra Kumar Malla stated that the festival will be organized in a more refined and responsible manner in the coming years.

This year's Third Karnali International Film Festival had commenced from Surkhet on Baisakh 12. As a local edition of this festival, the 'Kupinde Daha Film and Tourism Festival' was also organized around the premises of Kupinde Daha in Salyan.