SATV, Kathmandu, Jun. 20 - The National Film Awards 2026 were presented at the President's Office, Sheetal Niwas, on Friday. The awards were presented in eight various categories.
President Ramchandra Paudel presented the awards during a ceremony. ‘Unko Sweater,’ directed by Nabin Chauhan, won awards in three categories.
The film was named Best Film, while Chauhan received the Best Director award. Miruna Magar was named Best Actress for her performance in the film.
The Best Actor award went to veteran actor Nir Shah for ‘Paran.’ The film also won the Best Screenplay award, with Yam Thapa and Deepak Acharya receiving the honour.
‘Koshedhunga’ won the Best Cinematography award, while Nahakul Khadka received the Best Editing award for the same film. At the ceremony, veteran artist Madan Krishna Shrestha was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs. 375,000.
Aana Sharma for ‘Ramita Ko Pirati’ and Bimochan Dawadi for ‘Jhari Pachhiko Indreni’ received Jury Encouragement Awards.
Special Contribution Honours were presented to 11 individuals from the film industry. Recipients included exhibitors Bishnu Gopal Shrestha and Dr. Singh Gurung, actress Menuka Pradhan, director Abinash Bikram Shah, actor Rohit Rumba, and media personality Prakash Subedi. The honour was also awarded to actress and athlete Anjila Tumbapo Subba, actress Laxmi Bardewa, producer Binod Sherchan, and technician Shankar Pandey.
Likewise, the late film journalist Dinesh Sitaula, who made invaluable contributions to film journalism in Nepal, was posthumously honoured with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000.
The Limbu-language film ‘Namchhong’ received the Special Film Award 2082. The Newar-language film ‘Indira Dhime Maicha’ won the award for Best Indigenous Film.
The jury for the National Film Awards 2082 was chaired by veteran actor Harihar Sharma. Other members included director Milan Chams, senior film technician Arun Thapa, actress Sarita Giri, and cultural scholar and professor Arun Gupto.
Speaking at the programme, Minister for Information and Communication Dr. Bikram Timilsina said that cinema is not merely a means of entertainment but also an expression of society’s collective memory, cultural identity, and the soul of a nation.
“Films express the soul of a nation, reveal the psychology of its society, and also present a possible vision of the future,” Minister Timilsina said.
The Minister said that honouring artists is not merely recognising individuals but also paying tribute to society’s creative consciousness and cultural identity.
He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to introducing a timely and practical Film Act that meets the expectations of the Nepali film sector.
