Asha Magrati | eepak Rauniyar’s Film ‘Private Property’
Filmmaker Deepak Rauniyar has added another international milestone to his cinema journey. His short film Private Property has been selected for the prestigious Locarno Film Festival, marking another important moment for Nepali storytelling on the global festival circuit.
The film is part of Pardi di Domani – Concorso Corti d’Autore, the section dedicated to short and mid-length works by established auteurs. According to the official Locarno lineup, Private Property is a USA-Nepal-France production and will have its world premiere at the 79th edition of the festival.
Sharing the news on social media, Rauniyar wrote that while he and his team continue to write, rewrite, develop and finance The Taste of Salt, they returned to North Carolina last January to shoot the short film. He also mentioned that North Carolina holds a personal and professional connection for him, as he taught at the UNCW Film Studies Department from 2021 to 2024.
Rauniyar thanked the College of Communication at Boston University, UNCW Film Studies, actors, crew members, and collaborators who supported the project. He described the film as the result of love for cinema, collaboration, friendship, and collective effort.
Asha Magrati & Deepak Rauniyar
Deepak Rauniyar’s social media post has also drawn attention for featuring Asha Magrati, his longtime creative collaborator. However, the official Locarno listing has not yet released full cast and crew details for Private Property, so her exact role in the film has not been publicly confirmed.
The selection comes at a busy and promising time for Rauniyar. His upcoming culinary coming-of-age feature The Taste of Salt, inspired by the real-life story of celebrated Nepali chef Santosh Shah, was earlier selected as one of the 19 official feature projects for the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2026. Reports say the project was chosen from around 400 applications, the project’s Berlinale market debut, describing it as inspired by Santosh Shah’s journey.
Rauniyar has long been associated with Nepal’s presence in major international festivals. His debut feature Highway appeared at the 2012 Berlinale, while Pooja, Sir was selected for Venice 2024’s Orizzonti section. His earlier film White Sun also earned wide international recognition, including awards at Venice and other festivals, as noted by Berlinale Talents.
The 79th Locarno Film Festival will take place from 5 to 15 August 2026. The festival has announced that this year’s Pardi di Domani section will present 40 world premieres from 29 countries, underlining Locarno’s reputation as a platform for bold, emerging, and established cinematic voices.
For Nepali cinema, Private Property represents more than a festival selection. It reflects the growing international footprint of Nepali filmmakers and the increasing recognition of stories connected to Nepal, its artists, and its creative Diaspora.
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