In the 2017 edition of the SAARC Film Festival, three awards were awarded to Nepali film. In the recent announcement, two movies ‘Dying Candel’ and ‘Kalo Pothi’ (Black Hen) won three of the 14 awards announced today.
While Bhupendra Adhikari’s movie ‘Dying Candle’ was awarded the Best Editing award, ‘Kalo Pothi’ won Best Film Open Award and Background Score awards.
The best film award was awarded to Sri Lankan film ‘Let Her Cry’. The award tally by country are:
- India – 3 Awards
- Sri Lanka – 4 Awards
- Afganistan – 2 Awards
- Maldives – 1 Award
- Bangaladesh – 1 Award
- Nepal – 3 Awards
- Pakistan – 0 Awards
- Bhutan – 0 Awards
The winner editor Bhupendra Adhikari had edited feature films like ‘Ke Ma Timro Hoina ra’, ‘Prem Geet 2’ and ‘Nirbhaya’ in the past. Bhupendra is awarded the Best Editor award for his role in supporting the director with smooth storytelling and focusing on the main characters in a film shot in limited locations and over a short period of time.
The Best Original Score award was awarded to Jason Knuwan of ‘Kalo Pothi’ for its restrained use of traditional music to underscore the narrative of the movie.
About ‘Dying Candle’
The movie titled ‘Nibhna Lageko Diyo’ in Nepali language was made with the international audience in focus. I had prepared a introduction post about the movie back in 2015. [Read the film’s profile]
The movie had previously won international awards for editing (A film festival in USA) and local awards.
The movie, written and directed by Naresh Kumar KC was shot in a remote village. It took 45 days to complete the shooting, but that doesn’t include re-shooting. The movie features well known actors like Saugat Malla, Arpan Thapa, Lakpa Singi Tamang, Sirjana Subba, Bidhya Karki and Keshav Rai.
The movie is made on the story of 24-years-old Kshemi (Sirjana Bubba) living with her sick mother and her 9-years-old brother Tikpe (Lakpa Singi Tamang). Kshemi runs a small liquor shop for their living. The movie shows how Kshemi has to sell her dignity to save her brother.
About ‘Kalo Pothi’
Released in 2016, the movie was recommended to represent the country in Oscars Award. Although it wasn’t nominated, the movie had participated in various international festivals and has also won awards in local film awards.
The movie ‘Kalo Pothi’ is an award winning movie that had participated in a lot of film festivals and had won various awards. Starting with the script (script had won Rs. 5.5 million) the movie was selected in various prestigious film festivals including Busan Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. It had also won the Critics Week Award in Venice Film Festival.
‘Kalo Pothi’ is directed by Min Bahadur Bham and features Sukra Raj Rokya, Khadka Raj Nepali, Jit Bahadur Malla, Hansha Khadka, Benisha Hamal, Bipin Karki and others. The script of the movie is written by Abinash Bikram Shah and Min Bahadur Bham.