Entertainment

Foreign films have long been recognised as potential money-spinning entities. This potential can be realised not only from exhibition but also – and to a greater extent – from attracting foreign film-makers to shoot their films here in Nepal. The benefits of ushering these film-makers into the country are innumerable. Their entrant will bring in latest technologies into the country, enabling domestic technicians to learn the same. Not the forget the great employment opportunities that will be created and to cap it all, the publicity Nepal will receive the world over.

The president of Nepal Film Development Board, Yadav Kharel, relates that the board has been trying to work out programs to rope in foreign film-makers. Says he, "The gains are obvious. It will not only enhance our financial status many folds but will provide our film-makers and technicians enormous knowledge about film-making." Economists view that if the idea can be implemented with only partial success, the entire economy will receive a boost.

But analysts view out that things are not as easy as they appear. For one, a strategy has to worked out as to the facilities these film-makers will be entitled to, they point out. Thought must also be given to the amount of domestic manpower that these foreign films will have to use, they add. And, of course, it goes without mention that the deal will have to be attractive for both parties.

However, as is always the case here, our policy-maker are more concerned with their side of the bargain. And very often, with their own personal gains. They are not known to act swiftly. If anything, they prefer stalling things, making it as complicated and inconvenient as possible. Resultantly, despite Nepal being generally recognised as a beautiful location for film-shooting, the complex legalities that foreign film-makers have had to go through in the past has kept them away from this part of the world.

The involvement of big money in foreign ventures is a dead certainty. So much so that a Nepali technician, given the opportunity to work in a medium-sized foreign film here, is estimated to make an income sufficient to produce an entire Nepali film.

Film pundits also claim that attracting overseas film-makers into Nepal is in actuality not too much of a difficulty. Apart from beautiful scenic beauty, Nepal also offers cheap manpower service, very affordable lodging and fooding accommodations and an even more affordable transportation service, they state. But once again point our the flaw in our policies, which, they say, which, they say, if corrected will usher the Nepali film industry into another level. For, they believe, one venture will invite another.

The exhibition, distribution and other aspects of the Nepali cinema industry is looked after by the Nepal Film Development Board, functioning under the purview of the Ministry of Communication. However, it is the ministry that monitors shooting of foreign films in the country. And therefore the complex and not so clear situation related with foreign film shooting in Nepal, industry watchers say.

They also express that our film industry will receive tremendous boost if only film-makers from across the border in India can be got to film their movies here on a frequent basis. Attempts had been made earlier in that direction but one or the other incident, especially policy-related, has kept them away, film pundits recollect. So much so that the Indian film-makers are believed to have influenced their peers from selecting Nepal as a shooting destination.

Perhaps the biggest foreign movie to be filmed in Nepal is ‘Caravan’. The film even won an Oscar nomination, putting Nepal on the international film map. But its maker, Eric Velli, during his trip here after the film had been released, related the difficulties he had to undergo from government offices right from the day he began shooting. In fact, says Velli, "I had a Nepali partner and still had to go through immense troubles. One can only guess what a foreigner on his own will have to face here." Velli even claims that he would go out of his way to convince other film-makers from abroad to look at Nepal as a potential shooting destination as well, provided things improve.

After spending anything between five and seven million rupees in production, Nepali film-makers are still required to make trips to Mumbai for technical work. Film-makers, including Velli’s partner in ‘Caravan’, Neer Shah, believes that once film-makers from overseas make Nepal a regular location for film-shooting multi-national companies will come forward to make investments in establishing all kinds of facilities here in Nepal.

But all said and done, it is the government that has to take the initiative step, after which everything will fall in order.

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Bringing Foreign Films into Nepal

By Ananta Wagle

Translated by Navin