Kathmandu is stepping onto the international cinema stage. From 30 October to 1 November 2026, the Nepali capital hosts its first ever Kathmandu Film Festival, organised by the Metropolitan City at City Hall and Jai Nepal Cinema. Better still for anyone in town: entry to all screenings and events is free.

The programme stacks up 40 feature films and documentaries from 14 countries. Ten titles have made the International Panorama Program, a curated strand of contemporary independent cinema, among them The King's Warden from Korea, Dear You from China, Bayaan from India, France's La Gradiva — and, pleasingly, The Godfather on the big screen. A Nepal Panorama Shorts Program adds nine homegrown films, and every selected film earns its maker Rs100,000, with the top three collecting extra prizes of Rs150,000, Rs100,000 and Rs50,000.

There's a strong retrospective angle too. The festival pays tribute to Nepali cinema of the 1970s and 80s, including Kumari, the country's first colour feature — a genuine piece of film history. To mark 70 years of Nepal-Japan diplomatic ties, a programme of shorts titled View People, View Cities comes from Yamagata, a UNESCO Creative City of Film.

The talking heads are a draw in themselves. Indian screen legend Shabana Azmi will appear in conversation on the theme 'Film, Festivals and A Life Well Lived', while Marco Mueller of the Shanghai Film Academy leads a masterclass on film aesthetics from the Global South and the international festival circuit. Panel discussions will also turn the lens on Nepal's own growing film industry.

Why should travellers care? Kathmandu was named a UNESCO Film City in 2023, and this festival is the city putting that title to work. Late October is also prime time to be in Nepal — the monsoon is over, the skies are famously clear, and the mountain views around the valley are at their best. You could spend mornings exploring Durbar Square, Boudhanath and Patan, then settle into an afternoon or evening of world cinema without spending a rupee on tickets. Documentaries like Enchanted Matter and The Art of Robert Powell add an art-and-culture layer that pairs neatly with the city's own galleries and heritage sites.

For film lovers, the chance to catch a 1970s Nepali colour classic and contemporary Asian independents in the same weekend is rare anywhere, let alone against a Himalayan backdrop. For general visitors, the festival adds a lively, sociable reason to time a Nepal trip for the end of October — right alongside the Dashain and Tihar festival season, when the valley hums with celebrations.

If Kathmandu has been sitting on your list, this is a well-timed excuse to book. Three days, 40 films, free entry, and some of the best weather of the Nepali year.