The Nepali feature film “Elephants in the Fog” has been selected in the Un Certain Regard section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. With this, the production team says Nepali cinema has made a historic presence on the international stage.
Written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, the film is produced in collaboration between Underground Talkies Nepal and Jayanti Creations. Production companies from France, Germany, Brazil, and Norway have also been involved.
The film tells the story of a family from a minority community living in a settlement affected by the terror of wild elephants. Blending rural realism and social sensitivity, the film features both new faces and established actors, including Gauri Malla, Mao Tse Gurung, Shanti Giri, Sanjay Gupta Dura, Mahima Nawabagh, and Ashant Sharma.
Anup Paudel serves as producer from Underground Talkies Nepal, while Kumudini Gurung Shrestha, Soham Dhakal, and Prachandman Shrestha are producers from Jayanti Creations. Filmmakers, including Min Bahadur Bham, Pravesh Gurung, Keki Adhikari, and Prateek Subedi, have also contributed to the production.
Director Shah previously gained recognition in Nepali cinema by winning an award at Cannes for his short film “Lori.” Known as the screenwriter of acclaimed films like “Kalo Pothi” and “Shambhala,” this marks his first full-length feature film.
The cinematography is by Noé Bach and Cyril, while Andrew Bird and Paris Bergen do editing. The production team has stated that an international crew has been involved in sound, music, art direction, and other technical aspects.
This year’s Cannes Film Festival will begin on May 12. The opening ceremony will feature the comedy film “The Electric Kiss,” set in the 1920s and directed by Pierre Salvadori.
The festival jury will be chaired by renowned South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. It has also been announced that Barbara Streisand and Peter Jackson will be honoured with the honorary Palme d’Or this year.
In the nearly six-decade history of Nepali cinema, this is said to be the first film to be officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival. The production team has shared this achievement with the Nepali film industry and audiences, expressing commitment to presenting even stronger Nepali stories in the future.
