Kathmandu Horror Film Fest · second edition
Nepal has more ghost stories than almost anywhere. Bring yours.
KHFF is Nepal’s only genre film festival — horror, fantasy and folklore — and the first of its kind in South Asia. It returns next Halloween, 31 October to 2 November 2026, under the theme Bigger, Bolder, Darker, with expanded international participation and a deeper focus on South and Southeast Asian folklore traditions.
01 / The argument
Horror is not a lesser genre.
KHFF was born from a deliberate cultural argument. Nepal’s traditions of ghost stories, myths, sacred rituals and supernatural narratives are extraordinarily fertile creative ground — and almost entirely unfilmed. The festival exists to document and celebrate that tradition, and to build an audience for genre cinema that Nepali filmmakers can then make work for.
By establishing an international platform for folklore and horror, NFCA positions Nepal as a global destination for genre cinema while creating new creative opportunities for filmmakers working in the region.
The first edition ran 31 October to 2 November 2025 at Kamalpokhari, drew over 2,000 attendees, and was covered by The Kathmandu Post, Himalayan Times, Rising Nepal Daily, MSN, Annapurna Express and Diplomat Nepal, among dozens of national and international outlets. Ticketing ran in partnership with Khalti.
- Themes
- Folklore and intangible cultural heritage · gender and feminine power · social commentary through genre · youth filmmaking
- Projection
- 4K Barco with 7.1 Dolby Surround — technical parity with international festival standards
- Premiere status
- Nepal Premiere required
02 / First edition, 2025
The 2025 award winners.
Labinak
Indonesia · 97 min
Directed by Azhar Kinoi Lubis
A Year of Marriage
Mexico · 19 min
Directed by Pablo Camargo López
Bokshi
India · 142 min
Directed by Bhargav Saikia
Foreigners Only
Bangladesh · 15 min
Directed by Nuhash Humayun
Four awards were presented on the closing night, 2 November 2025. The first edition screened 25 films from 15 countries.
03 / Awards
Eight awards, main and genre competitions.
Judged across feature, short and micro lengths, with dedicated prizes for sub-genres that rarely get their own category.
Best Feature Film
Main competition, 50–100 minutes.
Best Short Film
Main competition, 5–30 minutes.
Best Micro Film
Main competition, under 5 minutes.
Best Thriller / Suspense
Short or feature length.
Best Fantasy / Mythological
Short or feature length.
Best Sci-Fi / Dystopian
Short or feature length.
Best South Asian Film
Short or feature length.
Best Youth Voice (Director)
For a director at the start of their career.
04 / Which festival fits your film?
NIFF or KHFF.
Both are run by the same academy in the same city. They want different films.
| NIFF 2027 | KHFF 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Remit | All genres, international and national competition | Horror, fantasy, folklore, thriller, sci-fi |
| Dates | 25–29 March 2027 | 31 October – 2 November 2026 |
| Editions to date | Nine | One |
| Eligibility window | Completed on or after 1 January 2025 | Completed on or after 1 January 2023 |
| Premiere status | Nepal Premiere prioritised | Nepal Premiere required |
| Nepali entries | Free in all national categories | Standard fees apply |
| Micro films | Not accepted | Accepted, under 5 minutes |
| Archiving | Films securely archived by the festival | All films deleted from festival storage after the event |
| Submit | filmfreeway.com/niff2027 | filmfreeway.com/khff2026 |
05 / Rules & terms
Read before you submit.
Eligibility criteria
- Feature films 50–100 minutes; short films 5–30 minutes; micro films under 5 minutes.
- Films completed before 1 January 2023 do not qualify. Films must hold at least Nepal Premiere status.
- All competition entries must carry English subtitles.
Technical format
- Container: MP4 or MOV for submission and preview; DCP for festival screening.
- Resolution 1920 × 1080 or higher; codec H.264 or ProRes.
- Audio: 2.0 stereo or 5.1 surround. Screening formats confirmed after selection.
Before and after submitting
- All submissions are made through filmfreeway.com/khff2026 with fees paid to complete the entry.
- Entries close at the late deadline of 25 September 2026; later films are rejected.
- Selections are announced on 5 October 2026; the selection committee holds full jurisdiction.
- Selected films deliver a full press kit and a DCP screener before 15 October 2026. Encrypted films with remote keys are accepted.
- Films are screened to live audiences in the Kathmandu Valley, potentially at more than one venue. No screening fees are paid.
- KHFF does not archive participating films — all copies are deleted from the cinema server and festival storage after the event.
Programming, press and partnerships
Sponsor a night, or bring a print.
Distributors, sales agents and sponsors: get in touch about the 2026 programme while the schedule is still being built.