Nepal announces 35 million rupees in grants for cultural films — Kathmandu Post
The Government of Nepal has announced a 35 million rupee grant programme in the current fiscal year to support films highlighting the country’s culture, history and tourism potential. The Ministry of Information and Communications is accepting applications under the procedure for providing incentive grants for film production in areas of cultural and national significance, Kathmandu Post reports.
Three funding areas
The funds will be distributed among three categories: screenplay writing, film production and post-production. Up to 500,000 rupees will be allocated for each of five screenplays, up to 7 million rupees for each of three film projects, and up to 2 million rupees for each of five projects at the post-production stage.
The programme was included in the ministry’s approved plan for the 2026–2027 fiscal year, aimed at developing and promoting Nepali cinema. Applicants were given 21 days to submit their applications.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Filmmakers criticise the timeframe
Actress Nisha Adhikari and producer and distributor Pradeep Kumar Udaya said that the programme should have been administered by the Film Development Board, which had previously distributed grants under similar initiatives. They also criticised the short period for preparing applications.
Actor and director Ashant Sharma stressed that screenplays about Nepal’s history, culture and tourism require field research, trips to locations and communication with local residents. According to him, preparing a screenplay and carrying out basic preparatory work may take three to four months. Producer Ram Krishna Pokharel also called for such programmes to be announced in advance so that participants can plan their work.
Rakesh Gurung, deputy secretary of the ministry’s audiovisual and broadcasting division, responded that the 21 days were intended for submitting applications, not for creating completed screenplays. He added that the deadline could be extended if there were not enough applications. Ministry spokesperson Bishnu Koirala said that the Film Development Board would lead the programme’s implementation and provide technical recommendations, while the ministry would be responsible for budget matters.
