Under the soft golden glow of the evening, Cinecause unfolded not just as an event but as a feeling.
Held on August 8, the official launch of Mind Matters: Cinema for Change: a mental health awareness campaign by Mauri-E Group, brought together artists, youth, and community leaders for one shared purpose: to speak openly about mental health through the language of cinema and art.

It was a night where emotions met creativity, where silence turned into stories, and where the human mind found expression through movement, music, and film.

More than 100 members of the audience attended the event, making the evening a truly engaging and community-driven celebration. Among the notable guests were Cr. Sukirti Bhatta, Councilor for Burwood Council; Mr. Deb Gurung, Social Activist and Politician; Mr. Heupati Gurung, President of Tamu Samaj Australia; and Mrs. Sujata KC Basnet, Founding President of NKSSP Australia, along with the dynamic NRNA Women Forum NariNikunja Australia team.

The event was made possible through the generous support of its sponsors and partners. The Maya Lounge supported as the Hospitality partner, Empire Homes and Constructions proudly served as the Star Table Host, while the Impact Patrons included MultiDynamic, Navigate Visa and Education, 4A Consulting Services, UniApply, ACM Global, Blueprint Migration, and Planway Finance & Home Loans.

The evening began with the graceful presence of Unisha Bimali, whose warm welcome set a tone of empathy and strength. Her words carried a quiet assurance that we were all here to connect, not to perform; to feel, not to impress.

The evening began with the graceful presence of Unisha Bimali, whose warm welcome set a tone of empathy and strength. Her words carried a quiet assurance that we were all here to connect, not to perform; to feel, not to impress.

Then came Chaitanyashree, the Sound Healer from the spiritual folds of the Himalayas. With his singing bowls echoing across the hall, he spoke about the science and soul of vibration; how sound can unblock what pain silences.
Every hum, every resonance seemed to calm the crowd as if the evening itself took a deep breath.

The session, “Sound Healing Therapy: Keynote and Demo”, offered a glimpse into Chaitanyashree’s transformative practice. Hailing from the spiritual Himalayas, he is one of Nepal’s most influential and effective Sound Healers. Founder of Kundalini: Healing Therapies, he has devoted his life to Spiritual Sadhana and meditation from a very young age.

The next moment of reflection came from Mr. Bharat Nepal, a population health practitioner and founder of Australia Nepal Public Link (ANPL) Inc.
Through data, stories, and lived experience, he revealed how the Nepalese diaspora still struggles to recognize mental health as real health. His words were raw and grounding; a reminder that awareness begins with acceptance.

Dancer and performer Aayusha Pandey brought movement to meaning. Her cultural dance performance painted emotions in motion. A blend of tradition, identity, and hope.
Each step was a conversation, each gesture a memory, art as expression, art as healing.

When Birat KC, the soulful voice from The Rovners, took the stage, the room softened again. His music, honest, lyrical, and heartfelt, carried stories of youth, love, and belonging.
In every line, you could hear the courage of vulnerability.

The centerpiece of the evening was the screening of TEJ-US, a Mauri-E Original short film exploring Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

The film dived into the fractured psychology of identity: who we are versus who we pretend to be. It wasn’t just a film about mental illness; it was about the invisible masks we all wear, especially within communities where “being strong” means never breaking down.

The audience sat still not because they had to, but because they felt seen.

In a special virtual message, filmmaker Sabin “Sabby” Gyawali spoke about cinema’s power to transform awareness into action.

A graduate of the New York Film Academy and winner of Screen NSW’s Emerging Producer Placement 2025, Sabin reminded the audience that storytelling is not entertainment, it’s evolution.

 A Message of Encouragement

The evening concluded with remarks from the Chief Guest, Hon. Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Consulate General of Nepal to NSW.
He praised Cinecause for its compassion-driven vision, calling it “a bridge between art, awareness, and community healing.”

When the lights dimmed and applause faded, one thing lingered a shared silence.
Not the silence of emptiness, but of understanding.

Cinecause had done more than just launch a campaign; it had opened a conversation about pain, about courage, about being human.
It reminded everyone that when art speaks, healing listens.