Young filmmakers awarded for their videos bringing the mental health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic to light

Kathmandu, 22 April (2022) - Act Alliance Nepal Forum and its members Cordaid, Dan Church Aid  and Lutheran World Federation jointly hosted a video screening event in Lalitpur today amidst an audience of young filmmakers and civil society organizations working on youth issues. The video screening was a culmination of ACT Alliance’s ‘Short video competition’ on the theme of ‘Covid-19 and Mental Health’, where young storytellers and videographers were invited to submit short videos on mental health. This competition was organized by ACT under ‘ACT Alliance’s Joint Resposne to the second wave of COVID-19 Project’.

The videos examined various facets of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it exacerbated the mental health crisis among the youth. Bikash Tripathi from Pokhara, who goes by the moniker of Riyaz Natakkar was awarded the first prize for his video titled ‘FRASTU’ that centered around the topic of how the pandemic affected young students vying to go abroad for studies and how the added pressure of uncertainty looming over their futures affected their mental health negatively.

Mira Khadka shares her experience of working on the video titled "Toothache"

The film student who returned from Mumbai without completing his diploma due to COVID-19, Bikash shared that he has a particular interest in the topic of mental health and stigmas attached to it. He shared, “Hopefully you will see me in the future working in Nepali film industry bringing more stories to life.”

The full results of the competition were as follows:

1. Consolation prize, Rs 5,000, White Room by Bibidh Chalise and Prasiddha Shakya
2. Third prize, Rs 30,000, Toothache by Mira Khadka
3. Second prize, Rs 40,000, Anxious Lockdown by Majul Bajracharya
4. First prize, Rs 60,000, FRASTU by Bikash Tripathi

Bidyanath Bhurtel, Country Director of Cordaid Nepal, expressed his commitment to further amplify young voices and perspectives through ACT Alliance. Juha Valta, Country Director of Felm Nepal, also hoped that this would the first of many initiatives where ACT Alliance collaborates with young creatives.