KIMFF 2026 to screen over 50 films from 29 countries
The five-day festival in Kathmandu will showcase fiction, documentaries, shorts, and adventure films alongside discussions on storytelling and censorship. Photo: Courtesy of KIMFF
The 23rd edition of the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) will showcase diverse stories from May 27 to 31 at QFX Chhaya Centre in Thamel, Kathmandu. The festival will screen more than 50 films from 29 countries.
Kimff brings internationally acclaimed films—fiction, documentary, shorts, adventure cinema to Nepali cinephiles, filmmakers, and the general public. The Nepal Panorama section features films by local talent that spotlight contemporary stories from Nepal.
“We hope the line-up of films and events will entertain audiences and engage them in critical conversations in and around issues that affect the Nepali public,” says festival director Ramyata Limbu.
The festival will open with the Nepal Premiere of ‘Shape of Momo’, an award-winning film by Tribeny Rai (India). The film follows Bishnu, a woman who quits her job in the city and returns to her Himalayan hometown, where she must choose between conforming to tradition or claiming her independence.
The festival will also feature a panel discussion, ‘What’s In a Story–Cinema and Censorship’.
KIMFF 2026 international jury comprises Jury Head Deepti DCunha (international film programmer, India), Chalida Uabumrungjit (Director of the Film Archive, Thailand), Kumar Nagarkoti (writer and poet, Nepal), and Luca Bich (Director of Cervino CineMountain Festival, Italy). They will decide the Best Film for feature fiction (5 shortlisted), feature documentary (11 shortlisted), short fiction (7 shortlisted) and short documentary (10 shortlisted).
The Nepal Panorama jury—Cultural & Communication Coordinator at Alliance Francaise Kathmandu, Lucie De Barros (France), filmmaker Nabin Chauhan (Nepal) andfilm journalist and critic Reena Moktan (Nepal)—will decide the best documentary (5 shortlisted) and best fiction (9 shortlisted).
KIMFF 2026 awards in the international category are: $1500 for best feature documentary, $1000 for best short documentary, $1500 for best feature fiction, and $1000 for best short fiction. The best documentary and best fiction film at Nepal Panorama will each receive Rs100,000. The kimff Audience Award is Rs100,000.
Tickets are Rs150 for the general public and Rs100 for students.
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