Kathmandu, April 10 The Nepali feature film "Elephants in the Fog" has made history by becoming the first Nepali film to be selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, the film will compete in the 79th edition of the festival, which is scheduled to be held in France from May 12 to 23.
Un Certain Regard, a section introduced in 1978, highlights emerging filmmakers and distinctive storytelling voices. It runs parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or and is considered the second most prestigious section at Cannes.
"Elephants in the Fog" follows a family living in a settlement affected by elephant attacks, focusing on the mother-daughter relationship, according to The Kathmandu Post.
The cast includes Pushpa Thing, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwakarma, Shanti Giri, Gauri Malla, Maotse Gurung, Sanjay Gupta Dura, Mahima Nawabag, and Akanksha Karki.
The film is a co-production between Nepali companies Underground Talkies Nepal and Jayanthi Creations, with partners from France, Germany, Brazil, and Norway. It is produced by Anup Paudel and Prachanda Man Shrestha.
Shah's earlier short film, "Lori," received a Special Mention at the 75th edition of Cannes, becoming the first Nepali short film to earn that recognition. His previous writing credits include "Kalo Pothi," "Highway," and "Tatini," all of which were screened at various international festivals.
Following the announcement, the team of "Elephants in the Fog" threw a party, which was attended by renowned actor Manisha Koirala.
The actor shared her congratulations in a post on social media.
"What an evening! Kumudani and @praveshgurung, thank you for throwing a wonderful celebration of Nepal's #uncertainregard debut at @festivaldecannes. Met some incredible young artists who are pushing boundaries with their art. The team behind 'Tini Haru' 'The Elephant In The Fog' deserves a huge round of applause!
"The film is a testament to the power of creative storytelling. Grateful for the conversations and new connections. @anuppou I enjoyed listening to your speech!! Bravo to you," Koirala posted on Instagram.