Min Bahadur Bham

Biography

Min Bahadur Bham is a distinguished Nepali filmmaker recognized as a leading figure in Nepal's New Wave cinema. Known for capturing the authentic spirit of the Himalayas, his work combines creative storytelling with a robust academic background. He holds a bachelor's degree in literature and filmmaking, a master's degree in political science and Buddhist philosophy, and has pursued doctoral studies in visual anthropology. His filmmaking career began with the 2012 short film The Flute, which became the first Nepali film to screen at the Venice Film Festival. In 2015, he released his debut feature film, The Black Hen (Kalo Pothi). The movie won the Fedeora Best Film Award at the Venice Film Festival, earned multiple National Film Awards in Nepal, and was selected as the country's official entry for the Academy Awards. In 2024, Bham achieved further historic milestones with his second feature film, Shambhala. It made history as the first South Asian film in four decades to compete for the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. It was also the first Nepali film to screen at Locarno's Piazza Grande, won the Cultural Diversity Award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and served as Nepal's official entry for the 97th Academy Awards. He serves as a producer, script consultant, and mentor for rising filmmakers across Asia. Demonstrating his global influence, he was invited to serve as a jury member for the main competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2026. He is currently working on his third feature film, titled The Last Stanza of Breath.

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