Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, July 8:

Organisers of the National Film Festival and National Award slated for July 10 have been flayed for allegedly not acknowledging national language films in the festival. Citing examples from India, where other national language films are honoured and acknowledged, Sanjog Lama, a film maker in the Magar language, said, “The National Film Festival and the National Award, which have nominated films in twenty categories, did not include national language films.” Lama added the juries and decision makers had showed immaturity and short-sightedness by not acknowledging the national languages, cultures and arts. Lama was speaking at an interaction organised by the Association of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (ANIJ). “The exclusion of national language films in the fest shows the intention to underrate the identity of indigenous nationalities, which comprise 66 per cent of the population,” said Jaya Nanda Lama, a Tamang language film maker. The same people have been exhibiting our art, culture in international festivals, he added.