Freedom filmmaker recognition 2024 awarded to Pranaya R Shakya from Kaleidoscope Production

The 2024 Freedom Filmmaker Recognition has been felicitated to Pranaya R Shakya and his firm Kaleidoscope Production. Kaleidoscope production is Nepal’s only LGBTQIA+ led visual media production firm. 

Institutionalized by Docskool in 2018, the Freedom filmmaker recognition felicitates key individuals and collectives whose efforts make significant contribution towards the promotion of diverse cinema practices in Nepal and South Asia. The freedom filmmaker recognition carrying Docskool’s mascot, ‘Freedom Filmmaker’ features a human figure shouting in agony. It embodies the relentless devotion of filmmakers to express freely despite all restrictions filmmakers are presented with by state and non state actors. It encapsulates the resilience of filmmakers to make films despite these limitations presented. 

The 2024 felicitation was observed as part of the Closing Ceremony of Queer Film Festival Kathmandu (QFFK) on 9 December. The first Queer Film Festival Kathmandu  in Nepal, QFFK was held between 6 – 9 th of December at venues including Yalamaya kendra, Docskool alongside satellite venues at Pink Tiffany restaurant, Rokxi & Smog Restaurant and Hard Rock Café Kathmandu. The festival brought together 2000 + visitors showing 51 features, short documentary/ fiction films on Queer identity. The closing ceremony also included the festival’s final film show of ‘Fadia’s Tree’. 

Queer Film Festival Kathmandu - QFFK and Freedom Filmmaker recognition is  organized by Docskool. Docskool is an open network of filmmaker’s setup in 2008 which promotes alternative mechanisms as support for filmmakers in early stages of their careers.

An Interaction with Pranaya

Life has been a wild ride, with twists and turns that I can’t even begin to describe. Looking back, I have no idea where I started.

As a teenager in the late 90s, I had my heart set on studying abroad. America was my dream country, but my mom’s fear of me getting lost in a foreign land put a stop to that.

But I didn’t give up. I decided to make the most of my time here and learn about technology. I started working on projects and building my skills, and I soon found myself working with companies and organizations. This gave me a chance to explore Nepal’s growing tech scene.

One of my first jobs was at a now defunct FM station. I hosted shows like Computer Sansar, East Meets West, and Sunday Special. These shows were a great way to connect with people and share my ideas. I learned a lot from them, and I became more open to different perspectives.

In 2007, I decided to take a new turn and explore the world of animation and VFX. It was a slow process, but I learned a lot and had a blast doing it. In 2011, we won an award for our best animation short film, which gave us the recognition we deserved. From a small one-room office to working with international clients, it’s been an incredible journey.

By this time, I realized I was always on the lookout for teams to expand and working on projects that could bring out the best in their potential. After returning to Kathmandu from Bangalore in late 2016, I joined the new generation of business-minded people to build an iconic fashion event, the first iteration of Otaku Jatra in 2017, and other things.

Today, I’m part of Kaleidoscope Production, a queer-owned and led production house that creates visual stories and other dimensions of production in the Nepali market. We also provide opportunities to the community with the right skillsets. It’s been a year, and we’ve already made a web series of six episodes called “Durbin: A Tale of the Rainbow Community,” a short documentary called “Breaking Silence” about people living with HIV in Nepal, and an event to mark Pride Month with a drag show called “Drag Show for Visibility Season 2.”

With more years to come in our journey, we have planned to work on content that’s heartwarming and tells stories that actually need to be told.

I’m excited about the journey ahead, but I’m also grateful for the support from the community, society, my friends, and family. Docskool’s recognition as Freedom Filmmaker 2024 gives me and my team the energy to make even better content on various platforms that deserve this recognition.

I’m looking forward to the future, but I’m also taking the experiences I’ve gained over the years and putting them in strong positions to build the foundation of Kaleidoscope Production and create stories that will make a positive impact on people overall.

Meet Pranaya R. Shakya, a true trailblazer in Nepal’s creative and advocacy world! Back in the early 2000s, he started some really cool radio shows that talked about youth issues. It was a time of big change in Nepal, and Pranaya gave young people a voice to share their thoughts and ideas. 

Pranaya also noticed the power of visual storytelling, so he teamed up with others to start Escape Animation. Back then, animation was still a new thing in Nepal, but they didn’t let that stop them. They made some amazing animated films  and won Nepal’s first animation award in 2011 and few other international participation and recognitions.

But Pranaya wasn’t done yet. He wanted to make sure that LGBTQIA+ people in Nepal had a chance to share their stories and make a difference. So, he co-founded Kaleidoscope Production, which is the first queer-owned production house in Nepal. They help LGBTQIA+ artists build their careers, tell their stories, and use their talents to make the world a more accepting place.

Businesses come together as Queer Friendly Businesses in solidarity for Nepal's 1st Queer Film Festival Kathmandu - QFFK 2024

Coca-Cola Beverages Nepal, CRS Healthcare, Hyatt Place, Yadea, Barasinghe, Kaleidoscope Production, Vet for your Pet, Asian Pharmaceuticals, Hard Rock Cafe, SnackOn Bars, Magar Adventure and Global Shapers Community Kathmandu came together in solidarity for Nepal's 1st Queer Film Festival Kathmandu - QFFK 2024 organized by Documentary Open School - Docskool. All these businesses also show their solidarity for queer community and allies to advocate about LGBTIQ+ not limiting it to be separate from each others. Documentary Open School - Docskool as the organizer also wanted to project that festivals like this is to celebrate diversity into a world of parallel aspirations, majestic leaps, individual conquests and historical overview of queer movement as films made world over.

Samrat Baral, CEO of CRS Healthcare on video message -

Sneha Shrestha, Communications & Sustainability Manager at Coca-Cola Beverages Nepal | The Bottlers Nepal on video message - 

Dinup and Rahul from Kaleidoscope Production - 

Saurav and Megha represent Global Shapers Community Kathmandu - 

Documentary Open School - Docskool also invited Queer Led Businesses for satellite events during the festival duration. Pride Perks at Paknajol organized an After Party on Opening Night, Rainbow Cafe and Restaurant at Galkopakha, Thamel organized a Speed Dating while Pink Tiffany, Saat Ghumti, Thamel celebrated Friday Night & Saturday Night while organized a Satellite Screenings of selected Queer Films on Sunday Night. Rokxi & Smog at Old  Baneshwor organized a Satellite Screening on Saturday Night followed by LIVE music where as Hard Rock Cafe Kathmandu as a Queer Friendly businesses closed the closing night screenings. 

Docskool also invited several Queer Led Businesses and Queer Friendly Businesses to showcase their products at Indreni Hatiya on Saturday at Yalamaya Kendra premises. Happy Space Nepal, Chibi Store, Lostmandu, Soozay Crochet, zie0art, FemArt Hack, BLISS Academy by Sakil Kunwar, Dristi Nepal and Cruiseaids Nepal joined the marketplace catering to the audience who joined the festival.

Find the Queer Film Festival Kathmandu - QFFK Catalogue was possible through the businesses who joined in solidarity for QFFK 2024 

Queer Expressions in Online Spaces - A talk session at QFFK 2024

The ever-expanding moral restrictions on cinema from state and non-state actors are constant contributor for weak queer participation in cinema. Queer cinema in Nepal faces multiple challenges, including limited yet stereotyped portrayal of LGBTQIA+ characters in Nepali films, and nominal participation of Queer individuals in cinema. Production practices in recent years show a different side to queer expression as more filmmakers are seeking alternatives to mainstream cinema.

Accessible online platforms have become highly sought after for queer and sexually open contents. Queer content producers have been fast to tap in with more queer materials released online in recent years than ever before in the history of cinema in Nepal. Their high approval comes as content creators see online spaces as an alternative to keep censorship and moral policing away. Yet the prospect of backlash from millions of homophobic audiences and new policies to control social media looms around.

Queer filmmakers and producers talk of the current scenario for queer expression/ cinema in Nepal – the way ahead and how online spaces might have a role to play. The talk discusses further into if online spaces are actually pivotal for open unrestricted expression as they further explore other queer cinema friendly avenues.

Speakers -

• Sushant Shrestha is a film producer whose work has been shown at Busan International Film Festival among others. He is an alumni of Berlinale talent Campus and has worked in film producing for over a decade.
  
  
• Pranaya R. Shakya, is a true trailblazer in Nepal’s creative and advocacy world! His media advocacy started in early 2000’s with Radio shows on young people. He since ventured into animation through Escape Animation, that led to winning Nepal’s first animation award in 2011. Pranaya has since focused his energy in starting Nepal’s sole queer -owned media company as Kaleidoscope Production which he co founded. He currently devotes himself to create LGBTQIA+ oriented stories for a more acceptable world.
  
  
• Gaurav Kandel (Youth Activist & Advisor to Queer Film Festival Kathmandu ’24) is a Docskool 2008 film workshop alumni. He has worked with several non profits and film/ art festivals for over a decade that directly/indirectly touch upon queer movement. He is also a Nepal consultant of the Emmy award winning show, Shark Tank.

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