Kathmandu Horror Film Festival poster with horror fantasy folklore film screenings 2025
The Nepal Film and Cultural Academy just dropped the lineup and jury for the very first Kathmandu Horror Film Festival. It’s happening October 31 to November 2, 2025 (Kartik 14–16) at the Russian Cultural Center in Kamal Pokhari, right in the heart of Kathmandu.
They’re rolling this out for Halloween Week, and honestly, it’s about time Nepal had its own horror-themed film festival. This is a big step for Nepali cinema. finally, a space just for folklore, mythology, horror, and all those mysteries that usually stay tucked away.
Filmmakers from all over the world sent in their work over 100 films came in through FilmFreeway. Out of those, the festival picked 25 films from 15 countries to screen.
Some of the feature films everyone’s buzzing about: “The Ritual” by Bishal Roka Magar from Nepal, “Khel” by Anurag Pradhan and Astha Shrestha (also from Nepal), and “Labinak” by Azhar Kinoi Lubis from Indonesia. There’s more “Pig Hill” from the USA, “Shaman” from Russia, “Indera” from Malaysia, and “Bokshi” out of India.
The short films are a wild mix too. You’ve got local gems like “Down by the Riverside” by Anuska Ananda, “Kichiyeka Fulharu” by Shashank Rizal, and “Ek Ekan Teen” by Jivan Dhakal. Plus, stories from Morocco (“Aicha”), Saudi Arabia (“Building 13”), and Japan (“Samurai: Soul Slayer”).
The jury isn’t messing around either. Photographer Raj Bhai Suwal, film critic Hossam Fahmi, and producer-writer Yasmin Bouchfar are all on board, bringing in their sharp eyes and years of experience.
Awards will go out for Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, and Best Student Film.
The organizers want this festival to push Nepali horror filmmaking forward a genre that barely gets any love here. By bringing together international and Nepali creators, they’re hoping to spark something new and open up the space for more experimental movies.
“This festival marks a new era for Nepali horror cinema, connecting folklore and modern storytelling with global perspectives,” the team said. And honestly, it feels like they mean it.
Full List of Selected Films (Kathmandu Horror Film Fest 2025) is here:
Feature Films category
The Ritual – Bishal Roka Magar (Nepal)
Labinak – Azhar Kinoi Lubis (Indonesia)
Khel – Anurag Pradhan, Astha Shrestha (Nepal)
Indera – Ming Jin Woo (Malaysia)
Bokshi – Bhargav Saikia (India)
Pig Hill – Kevin Lewis (U.S.A.)
Shaman – Mikhail Merzlikin (Russia)
Short Films Category
Foreigners Only – Nuhash Humayun (Bangladesh)
Vanity’s Mirror – Dale Fabrigar (U.S.A.)
Aicha – Sanna El Alaoui (Morocco)
Building 13 – Meshal Almutairi (Saudi Arabia)
The Heir – Rohan Apte (India)
Follow You – Alexandre Mullen (Canada)
Down by the Riverside – Anuska Ananda (Nepal)
Ladies Coffee – Amal Al-Agroobi (U.A.E.)
Rite of Passage – Nikola Radivojeric (Serbia)
Visiting – Piero Cannata (Italy)
The Clayman – Bryan Wesley Lewandowski (Panama / U.S.A.)
Samurai: Soul Slayer (aka Evil Dead) – Fukui Takamasa (Japan)
Kichiyeka Fulharu – Shashank Rizal (Nepal)
A Year of Marriage – Pablo Camargo Lopez (Mexico)
The Leopard – Mukti Krishan (India)
Parvati – Ayaz Pasha (India)
Ek Ekan Teen – Jivan Dhakal (Nepal)
Forever in My Heart – Obeid Uddin (Nepal)
