Excerpt from

11 August 2002

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Indigenous film festival begins
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, August 10
The two-day indigenous people’s film festival began in the capital on Saturday on the happy occasion of the Nava Yuvaraj's auspicious birth. The festival is being organised to mark the World Indigenous People’s Day.
Five girls from different ethnic communities inaugurated the festival. The festival was
organised by the Research and Investigation Journalists Society for Indigenous Nationalities, Nepal.
It is the first such event has been organised with the objective of promoting language,
culture, costumes, lifestyle and professions of various indigenous communities in the
country so as to protect and preserve the culture and heritage of the indigenous peoples, said Gopal Chhagchha Rai, president of the
society.
In addition, the festival will be helpful in producing motion pictures in ethnic languages. Feature films based on indigenous languages and cultures like Karam of Tharu, Khangri
of Sherpa, Chandalika of Newar, Sayawung of Rai, Pante of Tamu (Gurung), Semari Chhornyan in Tamang, Caravan of Dolpo (Bhote), Lisara in Magar, Ani Sakthim of
Limbu will be shown during the festival, says chairman Rai.