Four filmmakers from Nepal have been selected this year in the 'Berlinale Talent' competition under the world-renowned Berlin International Film Festival. Janaki Kadayat, Ramkrishna Pokharel, Ngima Gelu Sherpa and Rina Moktan were selected from Nepal among the 200 talents selected from 3,438 applications from 120 countries.

'We are very happy to present the talent of 2026 here. This group of talent includes such different voices who are becoming carriers of change through their work, including many talents from award winners,' the festival said in a statement.

The platform under this festival, which will be held in Berlin, Germany from February 12, has selected talents representing 15 different areas of the film industry, the statement said. The platform organizes workshops, interactions and networking in related genres. This platform, which connects filmmakers from around the world and collaborates in creative work, has more than 10,000 'alumni' so far. This year's slogan of this platform is 'Creating (and) Confusion - Cinema, Case and the Power'.

Last year, Sushant Shrestha and Sushan Prajapati were selected on this platform. This year, Ramkrishna Pokhrel has been selected for the 'Producing' category. Ramkrishna has produced many foreign films. The platform's 'networking' prompted Ramkrishna to apply for talent. 'There is a lot of networking in talent. It is a pleasure to be a part of that networking. I get to meet 200 filmmakers in talent,' Pokhrel said.

: He had participated in Berlin before. He has been to Berlin's 'Film Market' EFM (European Union Market) three times. Ramkrishna was going to Berlin to build relationships with filmmakers who come to the market from all over the world. 'The market where filmmakers from all over the world come has become very important for me as a producer. On top of that, people gather there with projects that are in the works from films that are yet to be made in that market,' said Ramakrishna, 'It is important for me to keep going there as a production company.'

Ramakrishna's Icefall Productions has produced many foreign films, Nepali short films, and feature films so far. He produced 'Anhad' and 'Baghthan', which were selected in Rotterdam. Icefall also produced the Oscar-qualified 'The Silent Echo'. He also produced Tatini (Busan), directed by Avinash Vikram Shah. 'Katha 72', 'The Red Follows', 'Halkara', 'Aina Jhyalko Putali', 'The Red Suitcase', and 'Guraans', are also produced by Icefall. International Emmy Award-winning films 'A Mountain to Climb', 'Highway to Dhampus' (French), 'The Climb' (Netflix), 'Everest Summit of the Gods' (Japan), and Liam Nissen's 'Ice Road' were also produced by Ramakrishna's production company.

Ramakrishna took his first steps in filmmaking in 2002 when he worked as a camera assistant in the National Geographic documentary 'The Last Royals'. After working as an operations manager in a trekking company for 9 years, Pokhrel graduated in film from the College of Film Studies (now Oscar). After 3 years of film studies, Ramakrishna opened Icefall Productions and started producing films. And this company initially produced - Vinod Poudel's 'Awaken Eyes', 'Manobabu Pant's 'Where is the Story'. Ramkrishna says that these two films paved the way for the international market at that time. Janaki Kadayat was selected for costume design. She is the first to be selected for the talent under this title announced by Berlin for the first time. Janaki had already come to know about Berlina Talent from her close film-maker friends. She always wanted to become a talent. However, Berlin had not previously announced talent in 'costume design'. However, this time her friend and actress Gaumaya Gurung informed Janaki that talent applications were opened for costumes. After that, she applied. Janaki is shocked to see her name among 200 talents on such a big platform in the world.

'Our costumes in particular are not given any importance anywhere.' Film festivals also organize programs for various departments such as sound and production design. But, our department was always missing out on that,' Janaki said, 'This time Berlin also opened applications for costumes. I always felt that such a program would have been targeted at us. I am very happy to get that opportunity this time.' Janaki received the news that she had been selected as a talent while she was shooting for the

film 'Lalibazar'. 'Initially, I did not believe it. But when I came to know that it was true. I was tired from shooting, but this news made me happy,' Janaki said. Janaki, who completed her diploma from ISC (Fashion School) in 2014, took a step into films by studying science with filmmaker Keshav Pandey. Janaki, who has been working in films as a costume designer for 11 years, has worked in films such as 'Aina Jhyalko Putali', 'Singh Durbar 2', 'Rajaganj', 'Shape of Momo', 'Hari Bahadurko Jutta', 'Mahapurush', 'Maitighar', 'Mahajatra' and others. She says that costumes are important in films. 'If there is no costume, how can a character be considered a character? If he is a doctor, a lawyer, then a costume is needed. Since the costume itself says that he is a lawyer, there is no need to keep saying that he is a lawyer,' Janaki said, 'The costume itself shows a character. I design costumes using color theory according to the color palette and emotion.'

Ngima Gelu Sherpa, who has been teaching film at Kathmandu University (KU) for 3 years, has been selected for the second time on this platform. Previously selected in directing (2023), he has been selected for 'Doc Station' through his under-production documentary. He has been selected for talent through his feature documentary titled 'Tent City and I'. He is covering the characters who reach the Everest base camp in this documentary.

He teaches three subjects at KU, including 'Film Production', 'Introduction to Cinema Studies', and 'Documentary Film Appreciation'. The short film 'As Day Goes By' (2024), which he directed, premiered at the Uppsala Film Festival in Sweden. Nima, who has a 2-year master's degree in film, made a short film titled 'Adaptation' while he was a student. After that, he made the short documentaries Home (2021), Kathmandu Monsoon (2022), Phool Siri (2016). Nima is active in film teaching as well as film directing. Ngima is excited to be selected for talent with her film. 'As excited as I was when I first went, now I am going with my debut feature. I am very excited in that sense,' Ngima said.