Kathmandu — Nepal's beloved grassroots cinema celebration is heading to the Terai. The fifth edition of the Nepal Rural Film Festival will be held in Chandranagar Rural Municipality, Sarlahi, from Baisakh 15 to 17 of the upcoming year, marking the first time the festival has ventured into Nepal's southern plains region.
Raghunath Sapkota, President of organizing body Celebrity Nepal Pratisthan, announced the expansion with enthusiasm: "Through this festival, we are now making a deliberate effort to reach audiences, creators, and communities in the Terai region."
The festival's guiding motto, "Himal, Pahad, Terai — Kohi Chhaina Parai" (Hills, Mountains, Plains — No One is a Stranger), has always spoken to the vision of inclusive national cinema. Previous editions were held in mountainous and hilly regions including Gorkha's Laprak, Kavrepalanchok's Bhakunde Besi, Ramechhap, and Rasuwa. The move to Sarlahi is a natural progression of that vision.
This year, the organizing committee has adopted the theme "Cinema for All, for Everyone," aiming to make the festival more representative and accessible. Screenings will include Nepali feature films, short films, and works in various indigenous languages, with awards presented across multiple categories. Interaction and dialogue programs will also be held alongside the screenings.
The festival will be organized in partnership with the Film Development Board and Chandranagar Rural Municipality.