Kathmandu, June 14
The Residence of the French Ambassador in Kathmandu was transformed into a celebration of cinematic triumph on Friday, as diplomats, filmmakers, and civic leaders gathered to honour the historic success of the film Elephants in the Fog at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
The cocktail reception, hosted by the French Ambassador to Nepal, Virginie Corteval, celebrated the film’s recent win of the prestigious Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, a major milestone for Nepali cinema on the global stage.
Elephants in the Fog, directed by Nepali filmmaker Abinash Bikram Shah, is an international co-production bridging Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil, and Norway. The project received crucial institutional backing from the Institut Français as part of its La Fabrique program, which nurtures emerging talent from developing industries.
Addressing the gathered guests, Ambassador Corteval praised the vision of the filmmakers and emphasised the growing impact of Nepali storytelling.
“This recognition at Cannes was a testament to Nepal’s extraordinary creative talent,” Corteval said. “Nepal has plenty of powerful stories to tell, and I’m certain that we will get to see more of Nepali talent at global platforms.”
For Shah, the accolade is not just an artistic victory, but a lifeline for independent, socially conscious filmmaking. Taking the microphone to express his gratitude to the film’s international supporters and French regional funds, the director delivered an impassioned speech on the stakes of funding diverse cinema.
“When you invest in a film like ours, it becomes more than just a production,” Shah said. “You are protecting a voice. You are ensuring that stories that are so deeply local, stories about resilience and survival and of those on the margins, are not erased by financial constraints.”
The celebratory evening brought together a prominent cross-section of Kathmandu’s cultural and political spheres. Among the attendees were the film’s crew, members of the national and international press, prominent cinema personalities, and the Acting Mayor of Kathmandu, Sunita Dangol.
As the Nepali film industry continues to garner international critical acclaim, the success of Elephants in the Fog underscores the rising power of cross-border co-productions in bringing localised, marginalised narratives to audiences worldwide.
