First of all I want to say what a pleasure it was attending the KIMFF festival. Thank you so much for inviting us and being so welcoming. All the people working on this event did an amazing job!
During this festival week we, Rajendra, Andy and Anja have seen many fantastic films. It has not been easy for us being a jury. You have to judge films people have spent a long and hard time making, giving their best.
We, the jury, have different backgrounds in Art and Film, so to decide fair and on a professional level we came up with 5 criteria: storytelling, visualization/camera work, editing, sound and overall impression.
Still, in the end, we had a hard time finding the winners of this year’s mountain film festival. We discussed and argued a lot and even had a second look at some films.
And finally we decided:
NEPALI PANORAMA
Special Mention: Living by the river
Best Film: Time is perhaps
Why we chose these films:
“Time is perhaps” is a poetic movie with a very creative approach of story telling.
It stood out from the other films in the Panorama program. You definitely start to think about what time is.
“Living by the river” has a very well told story and is also very visual, following traditional fisherman and their families struggling and fighting for their rights to survive at Narayani river.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Special Mention In search of the Riyal
3rd Best Film Himalaya – A path to the sky
2nd Best Film Mount St Elias
Best Film Sherpas – the true heroes of Mt Everest
Why we chose these films:
“In search of the Riyal”
This is a film that shows the modern day dilemma of the Nepalese people, and also of any migrant worker. Wether to leave the community to earn wealth and make sacrifices or stay at home…?
“Himalaya” is a touchingly human story, the central character charming and engaging, enhanced by the presence of the film maker.
“Mount St Elias”. A stunningly visual film. Dramatic and a departure point from the typical mountain climbing films we generally see.
“Sherpas – the true Heroes of Mt Everest.
An interesting and truthful presentation of the mountain sherpas way of life. Their problems are similar to those laced by European Mountain guides eg that of reconciling the need of making a living from the mountains, although a high risk domain.
