‘Elephants in the Fog’ Selected at Cannes, A Historic First for Nepal
Nepal’s film scene just landed a historic moment on the global stage. A quiet, powerful story from the edge of a forest is now heading to one of the world’s biggest film festivals.
Nepali feature film Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu) has been officially selected in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, a major breakthrough for Nepal’s cinema.
Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, the film becomes the first ever Nepali feature to enter this competitive category, widely considered second only to the main competition at Cannes.
The 79th edition of the festival is set to take place in Cannes this May, where the film will compete for top honors including Best Director and the Jury Prize.
Set in a village bordering a dense forest, Elephants in the Fog dives into a rarely seen world. The story follows a family living under the constant threat of wild elephant attacks.
At its heart is Pirati, a strong yet conflicted leader of a group of transgender women. The film explores her struggle between personal desire and responsibility, especially when a young member of their family goes missing during an elephant patrol.
The narrative blends human emotion with social reality, touching on identity, survival, and the fragile bond between marginalized communities and society.
For director Abinash Bikram Shah, this moment has been years in the making. The film took nearly five years to complete, from early writing stages to final post-production.
Shah is no stranger to international recognition. His short film Lori was screened at Cannes in 2022 and earned a Special Mention. With Elephants in the Fog, he returns to the same stage, this time with his debut feature.
The film is a multi-country co-production, bringing together creative forces from Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil, Norway, and the United States. It is backed by Underground Talkies Nepal and several international partners.
Producer Anup Paudel described the selection moment as overwhelming, recalling how he received the news via email during an online class.
The film features a diverse cast including Pushpa Thing, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwakarma, Shanti Giri, Gauri Malla, Maotse Gurung, Sanjay Gupta Dura, Mahima Nawabag, and Akanksha Karki.
Notably, it includes actors from sexual and minority communities in lead roles, bringing authenticity to its storytelling.
This selection is being celebrated as a turning point for Nepali cinema. It signals growing global attention toward bold, local stories coming from Nepal.
With the Film Development Board and Nepal Tourism Board also preparing a presence at Cannes this year, the spotlight on Nepal is brighter than ever.
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