Saturday March 17, 2012 in Toronto at Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex
Ave. The one-day festival attracted 400 audiences from different walks of life, both
Nepalis and non-Nepalis. The festival showcased nine Nepali films from Canada, Nepal
and the US. The annual festival is organized with the goal of promoting Nepal’s rapidly
emerging independent filmmaking industry and adding a distinctive Nepali voice to
Toronto’s cultural landscape.
and included a presentation of Toronto-based photographer Mr. Ariel Estulin’s
photographic essay from his travels in Nepal. The photographic essay was followed by a
beautiful Nepali dance performance titled Nepali Fusion by students belonging to
FONATS (Federation of Nepali and Tibetan Students) at York University. The all female
dance troupe consisted of Kneha KC, Dristi Rawat, Rakshya Mahat, Sumee Pandey and
Rizbi Poudel. The dance was followed by musical performance of by Ottawa-based Mr.
Robin Subba. After Mr. Subba, there was another energetic musical performance by
Brampton-based Mr. Aadi Yakthumba. The festival was concluded on a celebratory note
with a group song lead by TNFF volunteers Mr. Janman Jay Ranjit and Mr. Saugar
Sainju, and was joined in by other volunteers and members of the audience.
His Excellency Dr. Bhoj Raj Ghimire, Ambassador of Nepal to Canada, attended the
festival. Miss Sirjana Pant, Executive Director of TNFF made welcome remarks at the
beginning of the program. Mr. Richard Fung, one of the three TNFF 2012 Jurors spoke
about the film program. Mr. Surendra Lawoti, TNFF 2012 Festival Curator announced
the winners of the Juror Choice Award and Audience Choice Award, which went to
Buried in Tears and Journey to Yarsa respectively. The first award carries a monetary
value of CAD $200 and the latter CAD $500. All the films were co-presented with various
organizations, based both in Nepal and Canada, and included HotDocs Canadian
International Documentary Film Festival, Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival,
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, South Asian Visual Arts Centre,
Indigenous Film Archive, Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival, Film South
Asia, Nepal Cine Symposium, Sattya Media Arts Collective, NRN-Canada, Nepalese
Janajati Association-Canada, Canadian Newa Guthi and Nepalese Canadian
Community Services.
Nice to hear good things about TNFF – and fellow filmmakers and enthusiasts, keep an eye out for details of submission for next years event. Aim to reach a whole bigger mass than those immediately close to you. Festivals is totally the way forward.
Thnx so much for this! I have not been this thrilled by a post for quite some time! You have got it, whatever that means in blogging. Well, You are definitely somebody that has something to say that people need to hear. Keep up the great job. Keep on inspiring the people!