MARYLAND 2025 | NAIFF — Nepal America International Film Festival, organized annually by the Nepal America Film Society, has wrapped up a successful 2025 edition, celebrating cinema that bridges Nepal and the world.
NAIFF 2025 took place from June 26 to June 29 at three acclaimed venues: the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, Greenbelt Cinema, and the Brentwood Arts Exchange in Maryland. This year’s program featured 30 films from 14 countries, spanning both short and feature-length works.
Festival Highlights
The festival opened with Shambhala (Berlin Main Competition, 2024), directed by Min Bahadur Bham, and closed with a screening of Pooja, Sir (Venice premiere, 2024) by Deepak Rauniyar, followed by a red-carpet event and awards ceremony. A special highlight was the U.S. premiere of The World’s Happiest Man (2025), a Nepali film made in the United States, directed by Binod Paudel, with cast and crew members in attendance from both countries.
Beyond film screenings, NAIFF 2025 included a roundtable discussion, a master class, and additional cultural events held at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, with support from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, and other valued partners.
2025 Award Winners
- The festival jury, comprising Alan Wu, Dara Padwo-Audick, Nabin Subba, Nina Streich, and Rebecca Bustamante, selected the following winners:
BEST FEATURE:
- Snow Leopard Sisters (Nepal, UK) — Directors: Ben Ayers, Sonam Choekyi Lama, Andrew Lynch
BEST SHORT:
- The Witness Tree (Nepal) — Director: Niranjan Raj Bhetwal
BEST OF DMV:
- The Last Wild Herd (USA) — Directors: Aayas Joshi, Anna Connors
BEST IN NEPALI PANORAMA:
- Devi (Nepal) — Director: Subina Shrestha
JURY AWARD:
- Clay Bird (Nepal) — Director: Kiran Bhakta Joshi