‘Pooja, Sir’, directed by Deepak Rauniyar, has won the Best International Feature Film at the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF). The film received a prize of USD1,500 along with the trophy.

At the awards ceremony held on Monday at Civil Mall in Sundhara, Kathmandu, ‘Gunyu Cholo: The Dress’ dominated the event. Directed by Samundra Bhatta, the film won the Best National Feature Film award and received a cash prize of USD1,000.

Bhatt also won the Best Director award for the same film, and Najir Husen was declared the Best Actor. In the Best Actress category, Surakshya Panta won the award for ‘Kosedhunga’.

From ‘Missing: Keti Harayeko Suchana’, Deependra Gauchan won the Best Screenplay award in the national category, while Babu Shrestha won the Best Cinematographer award for ‘Kosedhunga’.

In the South Asian competition category, the Nepali-language Indian film ‘Jaar’, directed by Phurba Tshering Lama, was declared the winner. The film received a trophy along with a cash prize of USD500.

The Best International Documentary award went to Iceland’s ‘The Ground Beneath Our Feet’, while the Best International Short Film award was won by ‘Sheep’.

Similarly, the Best AI-Themed Short Film award went to the Chinese short film ‘Spirit of the Mountain’, directed by Pang Jia. The film received USD500 along with the trophy.

The Best Student Film award went to the Mexican film ‘Passarinho’. In the national category, Deepak Chhoden Lama’s ‘Home Is Not a Place’ won Best National Documentary, while Suraj Poudel’s ‘Rihanna’ was declared Best National Short Film.

The Don Quixote Award for Best International Film was awarded to the Iranian film ‘My Daughter’s Hair’.

Ngima Gelu Sherpa’s ‘As Day Goes By’ received a Special Mention in the National Documentary category. In the International Short Film category, India’s ‘Housekeeper’ earned a Special Mention.

The Special Jury Mention for International Feature Film went to the Chinese film ‘The Shore of Life’.