Nepal is set to host a film festival dedicated exclusively to horror, fantasy, and folklore genres for the first time. The Kathmandu Horror Film Fest will take place from October 31 to November 2, coinciding with Halloween.

The Nepal Film and Cultural Academy, in association with the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF), is organising the festival.

Festival Director Rasik Pathak shared that after nearly a decade of involvement with NIFF, he felt it was time to introduce a genre-specific platform that better reflects emerging interests among Nepali audiences.

“I feel the horror genre is popular among Nepali youth. The audience for such genres is increasing, but there are no major platforms to showcase such films here,” he shared.

The festival will feature a curated selection of internationally acclaimed and award-winning feature and short films, many of which have been screened at prestigious festivals like Berlin and Cannes.

“It won’t be limited to horror alone,” Pathak explained. “Fantasy and folklore are central to the programme as well. The aim is to bring global cinema of these genres to a Nepali audience while helping grow local appreciation for such storytelling.”

Although Halloween forms the event’s backdrop, Pathak emphasised that the festival will retain a strong Nepali cultural essence through costumes, food, music, and thematic elements rooted in local folklore.

Final details, including the venue, are expected within a week.

The festival will include an international competition, with awards to be presented in categories such as Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best South Asian Film, and Best Youth Film. Submissions are currently open to filmmakers worldwide, and the deadline is October 12.

According to Pathak, the festival aims to promote genre films in Nepal and build a stronger audience base for horror and fantasy storytelling.