Kathmandu is hosting a new international film festival this week that brings Nepali cinema together with acclaimed films from Asia and beyond, giving audiences an opportunity to see contemporary and landmark works in a theatrical setting.
The inaugural Licchhavi Cinema Festival runs from Sept. 10 to 14 at QFX Cinemas at Chhaya Centre. It is organised by Licchhavi House with support from Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the European Union.
The festival's programme includes 10 feature films from Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Thailand, France, Germany, Japan and Russia. Organisers say the selection is intended to encourage dialogue between Nepali and international cinema.
Among the Nepali films being screened is Elephants in the Fog, which won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Deepak Rauniyar's White Sun is also part of the programme.
The festival also features films that have become important reference points in international cinema, including Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker, Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days and Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Memoria.
For Nepali audiences, the festival offers more than a selection of foreign films. It places Nepali work alongside internationally recognised cinema, allowing audiences to consider how Nepal's filmmakers and stories fit within a broader Asian and global film culture.
The festival comes as Kathmandu's cultural calendar enters one of its busiest periods. Teej celebrations, Indra Jatra and other festivals are bringing traditional performance, music and public gatherings into the city's cultural life.
For Nepalis living abroad, the festival also provides a useful reminder that Nepali culture is not limited to traditional festivals or diaspora events. Contemporary Nepali film is increasingly becoming another way for the country's stories and perspectives to reach international audiences.
The festival is scheduled to run through Sept. 14.
