The 23rd Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF 2026) is locked in, loaded, and ready to take over the capital. Here is the official breakdown of the dates, the lineup, and what you need to know:
The Essential Details
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The Dates: May 27 – 31, 2026.
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The Venue: While KIMFF typically lights up centrally located, prominent civic spaces like City Hall (Rastra Sabha Griha) or Nepal Tourism Board premises in Kathmandu, the exact localized screening block schedule and specific hall assignments are being distributed directly through their primary multiplex partner, QFX Chhaya Center and GAA Hall and the festival desk as the event kicks off.
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Entry Fee & Tickets: For the viewing public, ticket entry to individual sessions and day passes are managed locally at the venue gates during the festival window. (If you hear people talking about $15 to $35 fees online, don't panic—those are just the standard submission fees that filmmakers had to pay earlier in the year to get their films evaluated!)
What’s Cooking at KIMFF This Year?
As Nepal's largest celebration of mountain storytelling, this year's 5-day layout is pulling an audience of over 8,000 enthusiasts. The scope stretches far beyond rocky peaks to dive into identity politics, climate justice, and remote community resilience.
1. The Global Lineup (International Category)
Expect an eclectic mix of international fiction, shorts, and hard-hitting documentaries:
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Feature Docs & Fiction: Highlights include Loving Karma (India/UK/US), Goodbye Sisters (France/Nepal), The Future of Climbing (France), and the compelling fiction piece Shape of Momo by Tribeny Rai (Sikkim, India).
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Shorts: Look out for Khumbu – Whispers of an Ancient Glacier (France) and Echoes of the Night (US/Thailand).
2. Nepal Panorama
This is where home-grown Nepali cinema takes center stage. The selected films represent the diverse cultural and socio-political terrain of the country. Keep an eye out for local selections like Redemption Song by Ashim Khanal, Rumani Sapana by Shyam Limbu, and The Road to Til by Rajan Kathet.
3. More Than Just Movie Screenings
If you want to do more than just sit in the dark eating popcorn, the festival turns Kathmandu into a massive creative incubator:
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Kathmandu Doc Lab: Workshops and mentorship opportunities for up-and-coming directors.
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Toni Hagen Foundation Premieres: Three selected short documentaries by young Nepali filmmakers exploring deep socio-cultural and environmental dimensions will be premiering live at the festival.
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Filmmaker Forums: Panel discussions tackling visual storytelling boundaries and the immediate impacts of climate change on the Himalayan region.