From TikTok to Cannes: Nepal’s historic breakthrough with 'Elephants in the Fog' in Un Certain Regard

During the pandemic lockdowns in Nepal, Abinash Bikram Shah found himself immersed in TikTok, viewing videos made by Kinnars – an age-old third-gender community in Nepal – enjoying dances and performances with genuine happiness. Despite frequently receiving hateful comments, they continued sharing their content.

“That really touched me,” Shah mentions to Variety. “I couldn’t understand what encouraged them to continue creating these videos, even when faced with such negativity and offensive feedback.”

This contrast between societal hostility and inner strength inspired “Elephants in the Fog,” which debuts in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival – marking the first time a Nepali film has been selected for this category.

The movie unfolds in Thori, a woodland village on Nepal’s Terai plains, quite distinct from the mountainous imagery often associated with the country on a global scale. Pirati – a term which means “love” in Nepali – leads a small group of Kinnars, adhering to their community's vow of celibacy even as she becomes enamoured with the village drum master.

When wild elephants start raiding crops each night, the villagers form watches. One of Pirati’s daughters goes missing during her guard. The authorities offer little help, leaving her to search alone.

Shah identifies primarily as a writer, and only assumes the role of director when a narrative deeply resonates with him. He co-wrote Min Bahadur Bham’s “Shambhala,” which competed in Berlin in 2024, and “The Black Hen,” Nepal’s Oscar entry that debuted at Venice Critics Week.

His short film “Lori” was awarded a Special Mention at Cannes in 2022, making him the first Nepali filmmaker to be officially recognised at the festival. This year, the Un Certain Regard selection signifies a further leap forward.

The honour comes with a mix of pride and tension. “I feel both proud and pressured,” he admits. “The majority of the pressure stems from the narrative – as a man recounting a trans woman’s story, I’m eager for the audience to assess the authenticity of my portrayal.”

This sense of responsibility influenced every phase of production, beginning with casting. Shah had been engaging with Kinnar groups around Nepal for nearly two years before he met Puspa Thing Lama at a community event, prior even to completing the script. Lama, an experienced LGBTQIA+ rights advocate active with the Blue Diamond Society Nepal since 2006, had no prior acting experience. This did not deter Shah.

“It was an instant connection,” he reflects. “Her charm is undeniable. Her happiness is contagious, and her silence is profoundly powerful.”

Transforming this initial impression into a finished performance was neither quick nor straightforward. Lama had absorbed the emotionally intense style of Nepali and Indian soap operas over many years, and her early rehearsals reflected this. Shah dedicated months to guiding her away from technique towards genuine expression. The turning point occurred when Lama realised she was not being asked to act out a character, but to infuse the role with her own experiences.

A metaphor shared by a Kinnar woman during Shah’s research stuck with him: she described blind men trying to discern the form of an elephant by touch – one feels the leg, calling it a pillar, another grasps the tail, likening it to a rope. She explained that outsiders perceive their community similarly – seeing only a part and assuming it to be the entirety.

“Above all, I wish to portray them as human, just like any of us around the globe,” Shah emphasises.

The elephants seen throughout the film are more than just a backdrop. In the Terai area, they are a tangible presence – intelligent, matriarchal creatures both feared by farmers and revered in Hindu culture through the figure of Ganesha. Shah was drawn to the idea that they are acceptable within set boundaries, yet seen as a threat when they cross lines invented by others. Upon discussing this with Lama, she related it to her personal experience – even now, living openly as a trans woman while working at an NGO, she sometimes feels like an elephant holding something vast within constraints not meant for her.

To keep elephants at bay, villagers use firecrackers, electric fences, and – in one particularly striking image – eyes painted on tree trunks, a human plea for the forest to acknowledge their presence.

Shah collaborated with two editors for the film: the seasoned Andrew Bird and Paris J. Ludwig, a trans woman whose insights Shah deemed crucial. Cinematographer Noé Bach drew visual inspiration from Nan Goldin’s photography from the 1980s and ’90s, capturing scenes that appeared natural rather than staged. Composer Frédéric Alvarez developed a score blending traditional Nepali melodies with a more fragmented, contemporary sound, reflecting Pirati’s journey from restraint to raw emotion.

The film arrives at a time when gender non-conformity is increasingly politicised globally. Shah is aware of its connection to these discussions but clarifies that this was not his primary intent.

“Crafting a narrative about the Kinnar community within a society that often wishes them unseen is, innately, a political statement,” he states. “However, I didn’t aim for Pirati to be just a ‘political symbol’. I wanted her to resonate as a woman in search of love and a place to belong. My ‘politics’ lies in the belief that offering a character from the fringes the same depth and sensitivity given to anyone else is the artist's most radical act. For me, true politics arises from human experience, not dictated by an agenda.”

“Elephants in the Fog” is an international partnership among Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, and Norway, produced by Underground Talkies Nepal, Les Valseurs, and Die Gesellschaft DGS. Best Friend Forever manages international sales. Les Valseurs Distribution and Arizona Distribution will handle the French release.