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The second Karnali International Film Festival’s “Rara Film, Tourism, and Climate Summit” was grandly concluded at the source of the historic Rara Lake. The summit featured diverse discussions and debates on film, tourism, and climate change.
The chief guest of the event was Manjan Bahadur Karki, head of the Mugu District Coordination Committee. Other attendees included Dinesh DC, Chairperson of the Film Development Board; Bishnu Kumar Bham, Mayor of Rara Chhayanath Municipality; Top B.C., Chairperson of Gurans Rural Municipality; senior actress and director Deepashree Niraula; actor Pradeep Khadka; and senior officer of Nepal Tourism Board Gopal Bhandari, among others.
Held under the main slogan “Let’s Travel to Karnali, Let’s See Karnali,” the festival aimed to promote Nepali cinema while highlighting Karnali’s tourism and climate issues on an international platform.
The summit, which was divided into two sessions focusing on film, tourism, and climate topics, involved extensive discussions on local culture, language, tourism infrastructure, and representing Karnali in the international market through films.
Actor Pradeep Khadka, who also served as the goodwill ambassador of the festival, remarked that the event played a crucial role in showcasing Rara Lake and its surrounding natural potential as a world-class filming studio.
Recalling that the film Prem Geet 2 was shot in the Rara region, he emphasized the impact of cinema in promoting tourism in Karnali, particularly in Rara, in the international market.
According to him, cinema is a powerful medium for promoting tourism and preserving language and cultural traditions.
He stressed the need to take climate change seriously and called on the people of Karnali to raise their voices for compensation for the damage caused by climate change across Karnali and Nepal.
Noting the melting of mountains and the growing crises of water and food, he highlighted the need for awareness campaigns and active engagement on climate change. He also revealed plans to shoot his upcoming film Chabbis Karod in Karnali soon.
Dinesh DC, Chair of the Film Development Board, a co-organizer of the festival, praised the festival for exploring new possibilities and promoting cinema in rural areas.
He shared that the Board plans to invite influential Bollywood personalities to conduct cinematic activities in Rara. He stated that the Board is moving forward with coordination among local, provincial, and federal governments, recognizing various parts of Karnali, including Rara, as open studios.
Director and producer Deepashree Niraula expressed her excitement at experiencing Rara’s beauty for the first time and committed to bringing Karnali-based stories to the screen in the future.
Mayor Bishnu Bham of Rara Chhayanath Municipality said that after the release of Prem Geet 2, promotion of Rara had increased, and he pledged policy-level support for continuing such initiatives.
Gopal Bhandari from Nepal Tourism Board emphasized the need for tourism and cinema promotion to go hand-in-hand.
Other active participants included Gurans Rural Municipality Chairperson Top B.C., Soru Rural Municipality Vice-Chair Keshar Jung Shahi, ward chairpersons, and other local representatives.
They noted that the summit helped bring Karnali’s voice to the center and expressed their commitment to cooperate in filming and related activities.
Vice-Chair Shahi of Soru Rural Municipality stated that the festival and summit raised awareness about regional development and conservation and that his municipality would fully support such events.
He stressed the need to maintain ecological balance during filming, given Rara’s geographical and environmental sensitivity, and agreed that actor Pradeep Khadka’s climate change discourse was highly relevant.
Festival Director Chakra Bahadur Chand described the event as not just Kathmandu-centric but as a movement to uncover local potential across Karnali.
Advisor Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mall said that Karnali’s consciousness is awakening and that the festival would further strengthen this campaign.
Previously, the festival had been held in Surkhet and Dailekh, and the awards ceremony will be held in Kathmandu.
The festival aims to spread messages of tourism and climate change through cinema, attract filmmakers to Karnali, and contribute to economic, social, and cultural development.
