Nepal America International Film Festival Unveils Diverse 2025 Lineup

India-West Staff Reporter

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Nepal America International Film Festival (NAIFF), presented annually by the Nepal America Film Society, has unveiled the official lineup for its 2025 edition, scheduled to take place from June 26 to 29. This year’s festival will feature 31 films from 15 countries, including a compelling mix of narrative features, documentaries, and shorts, to be screened at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring and Greenbelt Cinema in Greenbelt, Maryland.

NAIFF 2025 will open with the critically acclaimed Nepali feature Shambhala by director Min Bahadur Bham, which competed in the Berlin International Film Festival’s main competition in 2024. The opening night will include a red-carpet reception with appearances by special guests and filmmakers.

The festival concludes with a screening of Deepak Rauniyar’s Pooja, Sir, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival followed by an awards ceremony celebrating outstanding contributions in various categories.

Another highlight of the festival is the U.S. premiere of Binod Paudel’s The World’s Happiest Man, a Nepali diaspora film made in the US. The film will be presented with a red-carpet screening attended by cast and crew members.

“We’re proud to present films that reflect the richness of cultures and the strength of human stories—of struggle, resilience, and joy,” said Yubakar Rajkarnikar, Festival Director of NAIFF. “Sharing these powerful narratives with our audience is what makes NAIFF so special. It’s a true celebration of storytelling for all of us.”

Beyond screenings, NAIFF 2025 will host a roundtable discussion and a master class at the Brentwood Arts Exchange aiming to foster dialogue between filmmakers and audiences, especially those from underrepresented communities.

For more:  www.naiff.org.