Wednesday, Aug 05, 2026 21:00 [IST]
Last Update: Tuesday, Aug 04, 2026 15:20 [IST]
GANGTOK,: Himalayan
feature film JAAR has won the Best Mountain Film award at the 6th Mestia
International Short & Mountain Film Festival (MIFF) in Mestia, Georgia.
Directed by Phurba Tshering
Lama and adapted from legendary Nepali author Indra Bahadur Rai’s celebrated
short story, JAAR explores themes of love, honour and the cost of tradition
against the backdrop of the Himalayas.
The latest recognition comes
after the film won Best Picture at the 6th Indic Film Utsav in Dallas, Texas,
in 2025 and Best Feature Film (South Asian Panorama) at the 9th Nepal
International Film Festival (NIFF) in Kathmandu earlier this year.
Accepting the award, Lama
dedicated the honour to the film's cast, crew, co-producers and supporters,
while paying tribute to Rai.
“This award belongs to every
single person who stood by this film, from our incredible cast and crew to our
co-producers and everyone who supported the journey. JAAR would never have existed
without the celebrated writer Indra Bahadur Rai. His work inspired me to make
this film because it binds Nepalis through our shared history, culture and the
enduring spirit of the mountains. This award is for all of us,” he said.
According to the producers, the
MIFF jury comprised noted international film personalities, including Afghan
filmmaker Siddiq Barmak, Turkish producer ElifDa?deviren, South Korean
cinematographer Kim Hyung-Koo, French producer Guillaume de Seille and Georgian
animation director Mariam Kandelaki.
Produced by Ferry Tale
Pictures, JAAR has become something larger than a single film. “It is a
cultural ambassador, carrying Indra Bahadur Rai's literary legacy and the voice
of the Eastern Himalayas to festival stages far beyond the region's borders.
Three continents, three juries, one consistent verdict. This is a story worth
telling, and worth hearing.”
The film continues its festival
journey, with the producers stating that “each new honour adds weight to a
larger truth, that the mountains have stories the world is ready to listen to.”
