Making up for our year of release, 2021, being partially in lockdown, in which film festivals moved online and reduced their selections, we were delighted to have been on the road this year. First to Sri Lanka, where we premiered the film at Barefoot Gallery in Colombo, garnering much media attention. Then to Nepal, where Belmaya joined Sue at five special screenings in Kathmandu, which had an emotional impact on audiences as they witnessed Belmaya on screen and then met her in person. Viewers included HE The Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Felicity Volk, women members of the British Gurkha Camp, NGO staff and beneficiaries from Nepal Youth Foundation, Plan International, Ama Ghar and Asha Nepal, students at Yantra House, and many more.
We then took the film to Peloponnisos International DocFest in Greece, where we won both the Audience Award for Best International Documentary and the jury’s Equality Award. Next to Everything UK festival in Ghent, Belgium, showcasing an eclectic array of films, events and talks that captured the boldness and originality of Britain’s creative talent. Then to Vienna, where I Am Belmaya was shown as part of UN Cinema’s programme, Cine-Onu, highlighting some of the UN’s sustainable development goals, in this case SDG 5, to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
And as 2023 opens, we’re bound for Jaipur International Film Festival in India, the largest competitive film festival in the world, where I Am Belmaya was one of 282 films selected from over 1500 entries. Wishing you all a Happy New Year and hope to see you in Jaipur!
I AM BELMAYA 