‘Tiniharu: Elephants in the Fog’ Draws Strong Audiences Despite Heavy Rain
Abinash Bikram Shah’s Cannes-winning Nepali film Tiniharu: Elephants in the Fog has made an encouraging start at the domestic box office, drawing strong audiences despite heavy rainfall and flood-related disruptions over the weekend.
Released nationwide on Friday, September 4, 2026, the film recorded high occupancy across several cinemas in Kathmandu on Saturday. According to the production team, more than a dozen shows were sold out during the day, even as persistent rain and concerns surrounding the Bhote Koshi flood affected normal movement in parts of the country.
The strong second-day turnout followed positive early reactions from audiences, filmmakers and members of the Nepali film industry. Praise shared on social media, along with favourable word of mouth, appears to be helping the film build momentum beyond the festival circuit.
“Despite the fear and impact caused by the rain and flooding, we saw very strong audience occupancy in cinemas on Saturday. That is a very positive sign for us,” director Abinash Bikram Shah said. “We are encouraged by the support audiences have shown even in such difficult circumstances.”
Shah said he believes the audience will continue to grow if the current word of mouth remains strong.
“Most viewers have responded positively to the film,” he said. “We believe the impact of that response will become even more visible in the coming days.”
From Cannes to Nepali Cinemas
Tiniharu: Elephants in the Fog arrives in Nepali theatres after an acclaimed international festival journey.
The film was selected in the Un Certain Regard section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival and went on to win the Jury Prize in that category. Cannes also identifies the project as Shah’s first feature film and lists it as an international co-production involving Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil and Norway.
The achievement was especially significant for Nepali cinema, as the film became part of a rare group of Nepali productions to receive major recognition at one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.
Shah had previously earned international attention for his short film Lori, which received a Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 2022.
The film’s international success continued at the New Zealand International Film Festival, where it received both a Fresh Competition Award and a Fresh Audience Award, adding further recognition from juries as well as general viewers.
A Story of Community, Survival and Belonging
Set in a remote village affected by the threat of wild elephants, Elephants in the Fog follows members of a marginalised community navigating fear, social exclusion, family bonds and personal choices.
At the centre of the story is a community living under constant pressure from both the natural environment and the wider social realities surrounding them.
The film explores themes of belonging, identity, responsibility and survival while using the threat of wild elephants as an important part of its emotional and dramatic landscape.
The cast includes Gauri Malla, Maotse Gurung, Pushpa Thing Lama, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwokarma, Aliz Ghimire, Mahima Nawabag and Akanksha Karki, among others.
Strong Response Following the Premiere
The film had already begun attracting positive attention before its nationwide commercial release.
Audiences attending its premiere praised the film’s storytelling, performances and distinct cinematic treatment. Early viewers described it as a film that offers a different experience from conventional mainstream Nepali releases, particularly for audiences interested in layered storytelling and socially rooted cinema.
The encouraging response from both audiences and critics has added confidence within the production team as the film enters its domestic theatrical run.
Abinash Bikram Shah Challenges the ‘Festival Films Don’t Sell’ Narrative
Director Shah has also challenged the long-standing perception that Nepali films that perform well at international festivals cannot attract audiences at the domestic box office.
“There is a deliberately created perception in Nepal that films which go to international film festivals do not perform commercially. But that perception is not accurate,” Shah said. “We only need to look at last year. We do not have to go very far back.”
He pointed to films such as Gaun Aayeko Bato and Shambhala as examples.
According to the figures cited by Shah, Nabin Subba’s Gaun Aayeko Bato collected NPR 41,990,359 at the domestic box office, while Min Bahadur Bham’s Shambhala recorded a gross collection of NPR 21,222,351.
For Shah, those numbers challenge the assumption that festival-oriented films have no commercial audience in Nepal.
He also recalled the domestic success of Kalo Pothi, another internationally recognised Nepali film that found significant audience support at home.
“These films may not be among the biggest blockbusters in the history of Nepali cinema, but that does not mean domestic audiences did not appreciate them,” Shah said. “Art-oriented films often tell stories at a slower pace and use a different narrative style. That does not mean audiences reject them. They may not break box-office records, but they can still be genuinely appreciated.”
He argued that festival films earning collections in the millions should be viewed positively, especially in an industry where many releases struggle to generate significant theatrical business.
For Shah, measuring success only against record-breaking mainstream blockbusters creates a misleading picture of how audiences respond to different kinds of Nepali cinema.
Can the Strong Start Continue?
With international awards, positive critical response and encouraging early domestic occupancy, Tiniharu: Elephants in the Fog enters its theatrical run with considerable momentum.
The film’s next challenge will be sustaining that interest over the coming days.
If positive word of mouth continues to spread, the Cannes-winning drama could further strengthen the argument that internationally acclaimed Nepali films can find meaningful audiences at home as well as abroad.
