MARYLAND 2026 | NAIFF — The Nepal America International Film Festival of Maryland, organized annually by the Nepal America Film Society, has announced the lineup for its 2026 edition.
The lineup includes acclaimed films such as Shape of Momo (Busan award winner, 2025), directed by Tribeny Rai; Shakti, directed by Nani Sahra Walker and recognized at various international film festivals; and Have You Seen My God? (2025), directed by Nepali American filmmaker Amitabh Joshi; along with many other remarkable films from around the world.
NAIFF 2026 is set to take place from June 25 to June 28 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring and at the Greenbelt Cinema in Greenbelt. This year’s edition will screen a total of 38 films from 9 countries, including both shorts and feature-length works. The films were selected by a selection committee comprising filmmakers and film scholars from Nepal and the United States.
Shape of Momo is slated to open NAIFF 2026 on June 25 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, following a red-carpet event that will feature special guests and attending filmmakers. The festival will close at the same venue on June 28 with a screening of Shakti, following another red-carpet event and followed by an awards ceremony.
As part of the Global Peace Film Festival sidebar, NAIFF 2026 will also present War Tails, directed by Olha Byrledianu, and Lithium Rising: The Race for Critical Minerals, directed by Samuel George. The DMV Close-Up section will feature regional films, including Shattered Silence: Imitation of a Perfect Life, directed by Maryland-based filmmaker Jimmie Lee Ward Jr.
In addition to screenings, the festival will include conversations with filmmakers, a roundtable discussion on , a masterclass on filmmaking, and various community events at the Brentwood
Arts Exchange gallery in Brentwood, Maryland. The festival is supported by the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, by Maryland Humanities, and other valued partners.
Opening Film
- Shape of Momo | 114 min | India | Dir.Tribeny Rai
Closing FIlm
- Shakti | 95 min | Nepal | Dir. Nani Sahra Walker
Saturday Film
- Have You Seen My God? | 60 min | USA/India | Amitabh Joshi
Global Peace Film Festival — SideBar Section
- In Search of Resolution | 75 min | USA | Dir. Robert E. Frye
- The Strait Guys | 99 min | Germany | Dir. Rich Minnich
Feature
- Crawling Crows (Aankha) | 109 min | Nepal | Dir. Zaun Yonzan
- Life of a Phallus (Thanthapperu) | 68 min | India | Dir. Kesang Tseten
- Always | 84 min | China | Dir. Demin CHEN
- The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine | 77 min | Chile | Dir. Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza
- Mama | 95 min | Ecuador | Dir. Ana Cristina Benitez
- This is Ballroom | 92 min | Brazil | Dir. Juru and Vitã
- Naima | 98 min | Switzerland | Dir. Anna Thommen
DMV Close-up
- ZAIRE: A Film Noir-Inspired Story | 74 min | USA | Dir. Iman DuPree
- Shattered Silence: Imitation of a Perfect Life | 95 min | |USA | Dir. Jimmie Lee Ward Jr.
- Tattoo Medicine | 12 min | USA | Dir. Dani Lopez
- Kil & the kids | 11 min. | USA | Dir. Ethan Baker
- The Heir | 19 min. | USA | Tia A. Smith
- S.O.S. | 22 min. | USA | Joseph Vivens
- The Solanges: Angels of the Sun | 9 min. | USA | MINA NABIL
Short
- The Call | 7 min. | Nepal | Dir. Jyotsana Simha Thakuri
- Bandaids |14 min. | Nepal | Dr.Sushil Sapkota
- Girl From Nepal | 11 min. | Nepal | Dir. Usha Rajak and Ernest Almasbekovich Abdyzhaparov
- Asubh Astami | 15 min. | Nepal | Dir. Sundar Yonjon
- Eternal Kinship | 11 min. | Nepal | Dir. Arbin Rai
- The Road to Til | 15 min. | Nepal | Dir. Rajan Kathet
- I listen to the sound of Ashes | 15 min. | Nepal/ USA | Dir. Mihir Pyakuryal
- A solemn Promise | 11min. | Nepal | Dir. Alin Katel
- A mother’s embrace | 12 min | Nepal | Dir. Diamond Uprety
- Chandani | 6 min. | Nepal | Dir. Kritika Bayalkoti
- Threading The American Dream | 25 min. | USA | Dir. Ashish shrestha
- Phrenia | 20 min. | USA | Dir. Subash Thapa
- Family Man | 17 min. | Australia | Dir.Kalani Gacon
- In the Shadow of the Bamboo | 23 min. | India | Dir. Sujan Lamjel
- Have a Good One | 9 min. | USA | Dir. Purandhya Sharma
- Songs The Wood Sing | 15 min.| France | Dir. Vallabh Khatri
- Perfectly Seasoned | 13 min | USA | Dir. Brittany Ramjattan, Andrew Ramjattan
- One Two Three | 5 min.| Palestine | Dir. Amir Hossein keshmiri
- Hills Don’t Dance Alone | 24 min. | India | Dir. Shubham Negi