A belated blog entry:
While I was in Nepal this past summer, I
had the pleasure of attending NIIFF 2012 that took place in Kathmandu between
July 12 and 15. This was the sixth edition of the festival organized by IndigenousFilm Archive (IFA). IFA’s mandate to promote, train and archive Nepali
filmmaking goes beyond indigenous groups. According to Sanjog Laaphaa Magar, the Director of NIIFF 2012, the festival is the world’s third largest Indigenous film festival. ImagineNATIVEFilm + Media Art Festival in Toronto is the largest.
At NIIFF 2012, I attended its inaugural
ceremony held at Rastryia Sabha Griha. During the various introductions and
speeches made by organizers and guests, the important role of IFA in Nepal’s Indigenous
Nationalities movement was highlighted. Former indigenous Constituent
Assembly members from different political parties such as Dev
Gurung, Prithivi Subba Gurung, Suresh Ale Magar, Pasang Sherpa, Lucky Sherpa,
Shanti Jirel, Indra Bahadur Gurung, Sita Gurung, Pari Thapa, Oon Sari Gharti
Magar, Lila Subba, Jeep Tsering Sherpa and Ang Dawa Sherpa were
felicitated during the inaugural of the festival. The leaders were presented with a special letter of
recognition for their historic
role played in the CA through indigenous caucus to protect the rights of
indigenous people with a firm stand on single identity based federalism in Nepal.
Rajkumar Lekhi Tharu, the President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) made a fiery speech outlining the historic fight of Nepal’s Indigenous
Peoples in Nepal’s current political juncture.
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| Rastriya Sabha Griha |
Lhomi: Tea Momo, Phapar Roti, Potato
Limbu: Sel, Yangben (Jheaw) and Pork Meat,
Tongba, Aloodum
Magar: Batuk Roti, Pork Meat and Kodoko Raksi
(Alcohol)
Majhi: Tama And Fish, Golmadi And Wine Made Of
Beaten Rice
Tharu: Ghoghi, Chethari and Fish
Tamang: Sel, Roti, Gundruk Ko Achaar, Local
Alcohol And Goru Ko Sukuti
Newar: Samayamoji, Bara, Yamari, Chatomari and
Choila
Sunuwar: Kinima, Thetla, Khame, Gormali and
Plate
Lohorung: Soruwa, Sel, Black Pork Meat and
Achaar(Pickle)
Chepang: Ghhithaa, Bhyakur, Dhindo and
Sishnu.
The four-day festival screened over fifty films
from all over the world including Canada, Cambodia, Switzerland, Taiwan, India,
Ecuador, Bolivia, USA, Australia, Suriname, Philippines, South Africa, Mexico,
Norway, New Zealand and Nepal. I really enjoyed Loonibha Tuladhar’s documentary
Tunes from the Soil on the music band
Kutumba. Knocking on Heaven’s Door
was a passionate film from India interweaving personal stories of devotional
music, blues, pop, punk and rock musicians.
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| Lakshya Dhungana announcing the Nepali Panorama Award |
The festival closed with a Red Carpet Award
Ceremony at Yak and Yeti Hotel, which I had the pleasure of attending with my
dear friend/Toronto Nepali Film Festival colleague Laskhya Dhungana. The dinner
was delicious and Kutumba closed out the festival with an electric performance.
Of the many awards presented at the ceremony, two of the awards; Encouragement
Award (w/ cash prize of Rs. 25,000 and Nepali Panorama (w/ cash prize Rs.
15,000) were sponsored by Nepali Janajati Association Canada (NJAC) and TorontoNepali Film Festival (TNFF) respectively. Lakshya presented the Nepali Panorama
award to Impression of Lumbini made
by filmmaker Lujaw Singh. On behalf of NJAC, I presented Encouragement Award to
Cell Phone made by a young filmmaker
Phulman Bal Tamang. Golden Drum (Best Film) Award went to Voices in The Clouds from Taiwan.
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| Presenting the Encouragement Award to Mr. Phulman Bal Tamang |
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| Lakshya in front of Kutumba |
Sanjog Laaphaa Magar, the Director of NIIFF 2012
told me, “this year’s festival has been the most successful and we attracted
over 30,000 people to our program.” Of the many inspiring social/political
developments in Nepal, IFA is certainly a pioneering organization in Nepal’s
art/media sector. In the coming years keep an eye out for a new breed of Nepali
filmmakers that IFA has been grooming.
