By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, June 22: ‘Julungo’ (Scarecrow) directed by Rajesh Prasad Khatri received the Best Jury Award of the short film category in the four-day Nepal-America International Film Festival that concluded here on Monday.
Director Khatri said that his Julungo highlights the child’s desire that is often manipulated by their socio-economic condition.
The film is about children’s dreams and feelings and their acceptance to sacrifice them in difficult circumstances, said Khatri.
The film “Gramercy” directed by Pat Heywood and Jamil McGinnis also won the award.
Similarly, Ramdas Kadavallur’s film “Mannu: Sprouts of Endurance” has won the Special Jury Mention Award at the festival.
Similarly, Sofia Alaoui’s film “So What If the Goats Die” also received the Special Jury Mention Award.
The Jury Award for Outstanding Experiment went to Lori Felkark’s “Spotness”.
Likewise, “I’m Suffocating, This Is My Last Film about You” has won the jury award for the best feature film category.
Directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, the film won the Grand Jury Award.
Organised by the Nepal-American Film Society, 30 films from 14 countries, including Nepal, were screened in the festival.
Free films were also screened during the festival.
A discussion programme was also organised with the audience and filmmakers and actors on the screened films.
The jury of six women included Ramyata Limbu from Nepal, Sapna Shakya, Rebecca Bustamante, Nina Streich, Rita Meher and Portia Cobb. The festival was aimed at bringing together people from diverse cultures through the art of cinema.
In 2020, the festival could not be held because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Nepal-America Film Society joined hands with seven other South Asian films in the year.