"Elephants in the Fog," Nepal's nomination for the Academy Awards, is leveraging its presence at the Toronto Film Festival to spotlight the severe flooding in its home country. The film's director, Abinash Bikram Shah, emphasized how this global exposure is being channeled into humanitarian aid. This initiative underscores the powerful role cinema can play beyond entertainment, by galvanizing support and action for communities facing devastating natural disasters, even as those directly involved in the film's production grapple with personal losses.
The film, representing Nepal on the international stage, finds its director, Abinash Bikram Shah, navigating a bittersweet reality. While the movie garners global attention at the Toronto Film Festival, his colleagues and the lead actress, Puspa Thing Lama from Nuwakot district, are facing immense personal tragedies due to the floods. The co-producer, Prachanda Man Singh Shrestha, also from Nuwakot, has lost his residence. Shah expressed the profound difficulty of witnessing the film's international journey while those intimately connected to it endure the loss of homes and livelihoods, highlighting the stark contrast between cinematic celebration and real-world suffering.
In response to the crisis, the film's team has proactively organized several fundraising events. A successful screening in Kathmandu channeled its proceeds directly to the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. Furthermore, collaborations with organizations like the Zonta Club and Rotary Clubs have provided crucial support for children impacted by the Bhotekoshi flooding. An upcoming screening in Paris, hosted by the film’s French production and distribution partners on September 17, will see all distributor revenues dedicated to Nepal’s flood relief efforts. These initiatives reflect Shah's belief that while a film cannot solve a disaster, it can effectively bring people together, draw attention to urgent causes, and convert that attention into meaningful action.
The ongoing floods have also presented significant challenges for the film's domestic release in Nepal. Shah noted the inherent difficulty in encouraging people to visit cinemas when many are grappling with displacement, loss, and an uncertain future. Despite these obstacles, "Elephants in the Fog" has shown remarkable resilience, continuing its theatrical run into a second week after its September 4 debut, accumulating approximately NPR69 lakh ($45,000) in its initial seven days. Beyond the box office numbers, the discussions sparked after screenings have been equally significant to the filmmakers, indicating the film's cultural and social impact within Nepal.
Central to the narrative is Pirati, the matriarch of a Kinnar community in a Nepalese village, portrayed by first-time actress Puspa Thing Lama. Lama, a long-time advocate for LGBTIQA+ rights, brings an authentic depth to her role. Shah emphasizes that Pirati is not merely a representative of the 'third gender' community but a complex character embodying the qualities of a mother and a leader, with a spectrum of authority, affection, fears, and contradictions. Lama's journey from receiving the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes to her current presence in Toronto symbolizes the growing recognition of her artistry and the visibility she brings to her community. She has also received nominations for Best Performance at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, where the film itself was recognized for Best Film and Best Director.
The film delves into the intricacies of the Kinnar community, exploring its rich and complex dynamics beyond the prevalent marginalization. Shah was particularly drawn to these complexities. The core of the story evolved to focus on the relationships among women, portraying a narrative of mothers and daughters, and illustrating how individuals forge family bonds when conventional societal structures have cast them aside. This thematic focus resonates deeply, highlighting universal human experiences within a specific cultural context.
Best Friend Forever, the sales company for "Elephants in the Fog," has successfully secured distribution agreements across 14 territories globally. New deals include MetFilm Distribution for the U.K., Filmin in Spain, Vedette in Benelux, Trigon in Switzerland, Lev Cinema in Israel, Jayantii in Australia, EFAR Films in India, PT Falcon in Indonesia, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and Silk Route for inflight entertainment. These additions complement existing agreements with Arizona Distribution and Les Valseurs Distribution in France, missingFILMs in Germany and Austria, Imovision in Brazil, and The Tea Folks Films for Nepal's domestic market. A pan-Latin America deal is also anticipated soon, with negotiations for North American rights actively progressing, reflecting the film's widespread international appeal. Shah commented that although the film has journeyed far beyond initial expectations, its essential meaning remains deeply connected to its origins.
The film, "Elephants in the Fog," nominated by Nepal for the Academy Awards, is actively engaged in initiatives to support flood relief efforts. The team has organized various fundraisers, including a screening in Kathmandu, which directed proceeds to the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. Further support for children affected by the Bhotekoshi flooding has come through collaborations with the Zonta Club and Rotary Clubs. Additionally, a special screening in Paris, hosted by the film's French production and distribution partners, is set to contribute its distributor revenue to Nepal’s relief fund. These actions demonstrate the film's commitment to humanitarian causes, utilizing its platform to generate awareness and facilitate tangible aid for a nation in crisis, especially poignant given that some associated with the film have directly suffered losses.
