Nepali poet and artist Jeevan Khatri was honoured with a red carpet recognition at the closing ceremony of the 26th Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea.
The recognition was for the poetic documentary In the Land of Machines, in which Khatri starred alongside fellow Nepali poets Sunildipta Rai and Dilip Bantawa. The film received critical praise and was selected for the special closing screening—an honour usually given to films that represent the spirit of the festival. Organisers noted that the opening and closing films are seen as the “faces of the festival.”
The film’s director and producer Kim Ok-young, assistant director Kim Sunhay, translator Lee Giju Moona, Mohan Karki, and other members of the team were also honoured at the event held on May 10.
JIFF is one of South Korea’s three major international film festivals. This year, it screened 2,497 films from around the world. Only two films were selected for the opening and closing screenings, both receiving red carpet honours. The festival ran from April 30 to May 9. The opening film was Continental 25 by Radu Jude, while the Nepali documentary In the Land of Machines was chosen as the closing highlight.
Festival Chair Woo Beom said this year’s event had the highest ticket sales in its history, with over 70,000 attendees and 85.5% occupancy.
The documentary explores how Nepali poets living and working in Korea see the country, the challenges they face as migrant workers, and how they express these experiences through poetry. Their stories reflect both struggle and hope.
A press screening of the film was held on May 9 at the Jeonju Digital Independent Film Theatre, attended by director Kim Ok-young, poet Jeevan Khatri, and translator Lee Giju.
Director Kim said the idea came after reading the Nepali poetry collection Yo Machineko Sahar Ho (This is the City of Machines), written by migrant workers in Korea in 2022. “Through poetry, they shared their pain and resistance, which deeply moved me,” she said. “That’s when I decided to make this documentary.”
Published in 2020, the book features 70 poems by 35 Nepali poets. It was translated into Korean by Lee Giju and Mohan Karki, and edited by Parajit Pomu. The anthology received strong praise in Korea and won the Red Award from the Labour Party’s Art and Culture Committee for its powerful portrayal of the migrant experience.
The documentary also features poems by other Nepali poets including Ramesh Sayan, Aishwarya Shrestha, Saroj Sarbahara, and Sanjay Kaucha, some of whom have already returned to Nepal.
The closing ceremony took place at the Samsung Cultural Centre of Jeonbuk National University, with the red carpet and screening held in front of a packed audience of Korean and international guests.
