Min Bahadur Bham is a talented and visionary filmmaker who has been representing Nepal on the global platforms through films like Bansuri, Kalo Pothi and now Shambhala. Through his filmmaking and storytelling, Bham has received prestigious awards like National Film Award for Best Writer, Norwegian Sorfond Award at Cannes and Fedeora Award at the Venice Film Festival. He shared his remarkable journey at The Storytellers - Mountains Matter Seriies organized by The Storytellers Nepal in association with Kimff and supported by US Embassy Nepal.
Min Bahadur Bham grew up in a small village in the Mugu district of Karnali zone, where the majestic mountains surrounded his home. From his house, he could see the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas—a sight that enchanted everyone around him. But for Min Bahadur, those towering mountains felt more like barriers than beauty. He felt trapped, as though he were living in a cage, unable to explore the world outside.
When Min Bahadur was six years old, his father opened the first cinema hall in the village. Until then, Min Bahadur had never even seen a TeleVision. The first movie he watched in that hall opened up a world he had never imagined. It intensified his longing to go beyond the mountains and discover what existed outside his confined surroundings. The movie showed him a life beyond his village, his language, and his environment. The power of the visuals left a deep impression on him. After that while other children dreamed of becoming the heroes they saw on the screen and imitated those characters, Min Bahadur's thoughts were different. Without even knowing who made the films, he nurtured a growing desire to one day be the person who would direct and create movies. This ambition began to take shape in his mind at the young age of six.
Around that time, Queen Ratna RajyaLaxmi visited Mugu for Children’s Day, and Min Bahadur, recognized as an outstanding student, got the chance to ride in a helicopter for the first time with his father. As they flew over the mountains, he saw his village from a bird's-eye view that showed him the world beyond the village for the first time. The sight of the vast expanse beyond the mountains solidified his determination to one day leave the village and explore that world.
However, Min Bahadur soon found himself at a crucial turning point in his life. He was excelling in his studies, and his family wanted him to pursue science. Yet, deep inside, he had already decided that his future lay in cinema. He saw only one path forward and decided to leave his village. So, at the age of 14, Min Bahadur ran away from home and headed to Kathmandu, determined to pursue his passion for filmmaking and storytelling.
What happened next? To know his story, watch the full video.
#inspirechange #minbahadurbham #shambhala #kalobothi #basuri #filmmaker #nepalifilmmaker #nepalimovies #thestorytellers #thestoryyellers #inspiration #motivation #empoweringstories #storiesthatinspire #empowermentstory #storyofilmaker #kimff #usembassynepal #thestorytellersmountainmatters
