Archive · 2025

The first edition, and the audience that showed up for it.

KHFF ran for the first time over three nights in 2025, screening 25 films from 16 countries to a live audience in the Kathmandu Valley.

The edition

What KHFF 2025 was.

The first Kathmandu Horror Film Fest ran over three days and closed on the evening of Sunday 02 November 2025. It screened 25 films from 16 countries, treating horror as a form of art and cultural expression rather than a novelty strand inside a general festival.

Academy Vice-president Shiv Puri said the festival was an effort to use film as a medium to connect culture, messages and creativity, and that the event had set a foundation for greater collaboration between Nepali and international filmmakers.

The organisers described the audience turnout as beyond expectations. Attendees called it a hauntingly beautiful experience and a new identity for Nepali horror cinema.

EditionFirst
Dates31 Oct – 02 Nov 2025
Films screened25
Countries16
LocationKathmandu Valley, Nepal
OrganiserNepal Film & Cultural Academy (NFCA)
Opening filmShaman · Russia · directed by Mikhail Merzlikin

Winners

The 2025 awards.

Four awards were presented on the closing night, 02 November 2025.

Poster for Labinak

Best Feature Film

Labinak

Indonesia | 97 min

directed by Azhar Kinoi Lubis

Poster for A Year of Marriage

Best Short Film

A Year of Marriage

Mexico | 19 min

directed by Pablo Camargo Lopez

Poster for Bokshi

Jury Special Award

Bokshi

India | 142 min

directed by Bhargav Saikia

Poster for Foreigners Only

Best Youth Filmmaker

Foreigners Only

Bangladesh | 15 min

directed by Nuhash Humayun

Programme

The films, day by day.

Three days of screenings across Halloween 2025.

Day 1

31 Oct 2025 · Friday

12:00

ShamanRussia90 mindirected by Mikhail Merzlikin

15:00

A Year of MarriageMexico19 mindirected by Pablo Camargo Lopez
The LeopardIndia19 mindirected by Mukti Krishan
ParvatiIndia10 mindirected by Ayaz Pasha
Ek Ekan TeenNepal07 mindirected by Jivan Dahal
Forever in My HeartNepal21 mindirected by Obeid Uddin

17:30

LabinakIndonesia97 mindirected by Azhar Kinoi Lubis

Day 2

01 Nov 2025 · Saturday

11:00

KhelNepal130 mindirected by Anurag Pradhan, Astha Shrestha

14:00

AichaMorocco25 mindirected by Sanna El Alaoui
Building 13Saudi Arabia09 mindirected by Meshal Almutairi
The HeirIndia19 mindirected by Rohan Apte
Follow YouCanada03 mindirected by Alexandre Mullen
Down by the RiversideNepal29 mindirected by Anuska Ananda

16:00

InderaMalaysia92 mindirected by Ming Jin Woo

18:00

BokshiIndia142 mindirected by Bhargav Saikia

Day 3

02 Nov 2025 · Sunday

12:00

Pig HillU.S.A.100 mindirected by Kevin Lewis

14:00

Ladies CoffeeU.A.E.10 mindirected by Amal Al-Agroobi
Rite of PassageSerbia10 mindirected by Nikola Radivojeric
VisitingItaly09 mindirected by Piero Cannata
The ClaymanPanama / U.S.A.09 mindirected by Bryan Wesley Lewandowski
Samurai: Soul SlayerJapan25 mindirected by Fukui Takamasa
Kichiyeka FulharuNepal20 mindirected by Shashank Rizal

16:00

Foreigners OnlyBangladesh15 mindirected by Nuhash Humayun
Vanity’s MirrorU.S.A.14 mindirected by Dale Fabrigar
The RitualNepal60 mindirected by Bishal Roka Magar