ICIMOD’s Director General hands over the ‘ICIMOD Mountain Film Award 2017’ to a representative at KIMFF 2017 Photo: Jitendra Bajracharya/ICIMOD

Through his subtle yet powerful depiction of the struggles of rural mountain village life in Uttarakhand, India, director Savyasachi Anju Prabir conveys a powerful story of the lives of the people of Kalap, who, for generations, have been navigating their own path towards sustainable living. His documentary, At the Crossroads (Kahan Kaa Raasta) has earned the ICIMOD best mountain film prize at the 2017 Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF).

At The Crossroads was selected from several entries at KIMFF this year. More than 70 films showcasing the magnificence of the mountains, and the lives and suffering of people in mountainous regions across the globe were screened over the course of the festival.

The ICIMOD jury selected Savyasachi’s film unanimously for the prize. The film depicts the struggles of rural mountain life in a village in India. When a paved road is promised to the village of Kalap, a small family wonders how their lives will change. This simple yet important consideration is mulled over with equally promising and vexing concerns. ICIMOD praises this film for its visuals, its pacing, but mostly for its storytelling, which is simple and caring.

This is the fourth annual best film prize that ICIMOD has awarded at KIMFF. The movies are judged not only on technical content and story-telling, but also their relevance to the social and environmental issues facing mountain people throughout the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

This year marked the 15th annual KIMFF, held at the QFX Kumari Cinema Hall in Kamal Pokhari, Kathmandu. The festival was organized by the Himal Association and promoted by the Nepal Tourism Board.

KIMFF concluded on 18 December 2017. The 16th edition of the festival will be held from 7–11 December 2017.

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