Kathmandu — The organizational groundwork for the fifth edition of the Nepal Rural Film Festival is firmly in place. A press conference held in Chandranagar Rural Municipality, Sarlahi has confirmed that 17 films have been selected from more than 50 applications for the three-day festival running from Baisakh 15 to 17 — all screenings free of charge for audiences.
Festival President Raghunath Sapkota of Celebrity Nepal explained the vision behind choosing Sarlahi this year: "This time, we are making a deliberate effort to reach audiences, creators, and communities in the Terai region, and to promote films that are centered on rural stories and the culture of the Madhesh."
The festival's motto — "Himal, Pahad, Terai — Kohi Chhaina Parai" (Mountains, Hills, Plains — No One is a Stranger) — reflects its core mission of building a truly inclusive national film culture. The previous four editions were held in mountain and hill regions: Laprak, Gosaikund, Bhakunde Besi, and Ramechhap respectively, making Sarlahi a first for the festival's Terai expansion.
Chandranagar Rural Municipality Chairman Raj Kumar Mahato noted that events of this kind promote local tourism and give communities national and international visibility. Sapkota outlined the festival's goals as encouraging audiences to engage with original Nepali cinema, building a regular film-viewing culture in rural communities, promoting local languages and cultures, and elevating grassroots Nepali storytelling to international platforms.
The festival is supported in partnership with the Film Development Board and Chandranagar Rural Municipality.
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