Kathmandu, September 9
Nepali feature film Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu), directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, has received three nominations at the 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Gold Coast, Australia.
The film has been nominated for Best Film, Best Director for Abinash Bikram Shah, and Best Actress for Pushpa Thing Lama.
The nominations come shortly after another major achievement for the film: Elephants in the Fog won both the Best Film Award and the Audience Award at the New Zealand International Film Festival, adding to an extraordinary festival journey that began with its historic selection at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
At Cannes, Elephants in the Fog became the first Nepali feature film officially selected for the festival, premiering in the Un Certain Regard section, where it went on to receive the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize.
The film has since continued to travel extensively on the international festival circuit, with selections including Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), BFI London Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Hamburg International Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival, among others.
Set in Nepal, Elephants in the Fog explores identity, belonging, family and resilience through the lives of Kinnar women. At its heart is a story about a chosen family and the bonds created by people who build communities of their own in a society that often refuses to see them on their own terms.
Director Abinash Bikram Shah says the continued response to the film has been deeply meaningful. “It has been an extraordinary journey for a film that comes from such a specific place and community in Nepal. To see it connect with audiences and filmmakers across the world is incredibly moving. The recognition from New Zealand, and now these three APSA nominations, means a great deal to all of us who made the film.”
For Pushpa Thing Lama, the APSA nomination adds another recognition to a performance that has been central to the film’s reception internationally.
The 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards will take place on 30 October 2026 on the Gold Coast, Australia, celebrating outstanding cinema from across the Asia-Pacific region.
