Jeonju: Nepali poet and artiste Jeevan Khattri, along with other artists, was honoured at the closing ceremony of the 26th Jeonju International Film Festival held in South Korea. The documentary film ‘In the Land of Machines’, featuring Nepali poets Sunildipta Rai and Dilip Bantawa as leads, was recognized as outstanding and received a special screening at the festival’s closing ceremony.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the festival organizers consider the opening and closing films as special, referring to them as ‘the face of the festival’. The ‘red carpet’ honour was awarded to Khattri, along with documentary producer and director Kim Ok Yong, assistant director Kim Sunhaye, Nepali language translator Igiju Muna, and the documentary production team, including Mohan Karki.
Jeonju International Film Festival is among the three major international film festivals hosted in South Korea. The organizers reported that a total of 2,497 films were submitted globally, with 224 films from 57 countries screened. This included 9,148 feature films and 76 short films, with two of the best films receiving a special showcase during the opening and closing ceremonies.
The 26th edition of the festival commenced on April 30 and concluded on May 9. During the ten-day event, the debut film ‘Continental’ directed by Radu Jude was selected among 25 films, while the poetry documentary ‘In the Land of Machines’ was awarded the best and granted the closing show. The feature film ‘Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)’ directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas from the United States won the Grand Prize in the International Competition.