Kathmandu. The 21st Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMF) started on Wednesday with the Asia premiere of Italian director Brando Quilici’s ‘The Tiger’s Nest’.
This opening film tells the story of a close relationship between a teenager (Balmani) and a tiger cub. After losing his mother in the earthquake, Balamani, who is living in an orphanage, rescues a tiger cub from a hunter from the forest near the same ashram.
After that, in an interesting and strange way, friendship develops between these two. After friendship, they go on an exciting journey to the Himalayas. However, hunters and orphanage managers also run after them, which brings ups and downs in the journey of these two characters.
The story of the film is based on a legend of Buddhism. The natural depiction of the mountains is equally powerful in the film that portrays the story of the emotional relationship between humans and animals.
Shot in Nepal, this film also stars Nepali actors Lunibha Tuladhar, Bhumika Chaudhary and others. ‘The Tiger’s Nest’ of 1 hour and 34 minutes will be shown again on Friday at 2 pm.
At the opening ceremony held before the screening of the film, KIMF Foundation President Ramita Limbu said that the echoes of the festival’s theme change will also indicate the change of KIMF itself.
She mentioned that in Kimf’s two-decade-long journey, the audience, the impact of OTT, Covid and the economic side have moved forward while absorbing new changes. She said, ‘You can get information and experience about the issues and story style of our society through the foreign films selected in KIMF and through Nepali films.’
Pradeep Pariyar, the representative of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, expressed his happiness that the Metropolitan City was the co-organizer of KIMF and said, ‘Cinema is a medium to take Nepali art culture to the world and KIMF has provided that opportunity.’
Writer and director John Porter gave a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. When he came to Nepal for the first time 45 years ago and now many things have changed, he said, ‘Nepali’s smile is the same as zinc.’
Stating that the Himalayan mountain ranges have a great influence on human civilization, he added the reference to the Everest Day and emphasized that it is meaningful to organize the KIMF. Sritara Band, a women’s instrumental group, gave a musical performance in the inaugural session.
The festival, which will run until May 20, will be held at the National Auditorium and Nepal Tourism Board at Exhibition Road. More than 60 films from 22 countries will be screened in this edition.
