The Nepali thriller ‘Elephant in the Mist’, which will bow in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category at the Cannes Film Festival, has been floated by Brussels-based sales company Best Friend Forever.
Elephants in the Mist is the debut feature film of up-and-coming director Avinash Bikram Shah, whose short story Lohri won a special award at the 2022 Cannes Short Film Competition. He also co-wrote Min Bahadur Baum’s Shambala, which was screened in competition at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival.
Set in a small village in Nepal surrounded by forests inhabited by wild elephants, the story follows Pilati, the matriarch of the Kinnar community, who dreams of escaping to a “normal” life with the man she loves. But when one of her daughters disappears, she must investigate and choose between love and her responsibility to her community.
‘Elephant in the Mist’ features an up-and-coming cast including Pushpa Singh Rama, Deepika Yadav, Jasmin Bishwokarma and Ariz Ghimya.
The top-notch key staff includes editor Andrew Bird (The Sacred Fig Seed, Amram), cinematographer Noe Bach (Wild Diamonds, Little Girl Blue), and composer Frederic Alvarez (Land of Brothers).
Elephants in the Mist is produced by Underground Talkies Nepal, Les Valseurs, Die Gesellschaft DGS and co-produced by Enquadramento Produções, Bubbles Project, Zischlermann Filmproduktion, Storm Films, Jayantii Creations, ZDF/Das kleine Fernsehspiel & ZDF/ARTE.
“The heart of this film is rooted in the reality of the Kinnar community, who, despite being marginalized, have built a chosen family of resilience and deep meaning,” said director Shah. “I was drawn to the emotional depth of these bonds, the way in which kinship is constructed and maintained far beyond biological and social ties. But these lives are in a constant and fragile tug of war with a mainstream society that demands conformity,” Shah continued.
The film’s Nepali producer Anup Poudel said this is “a story that needs to be heard. This is a work of both resistance and deep empathy, and we are proud to champion a film that allows the world to witness the urgent and complex humanity of the Kinnar community.”
Les Valseurs’ French producer Justin Peshubati said the premiere of “Elephants in the Mist” marks the company’s re-entry into the Un Certain Regard category, where “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” won the top prize last year. “It is a rare privilege to be accompanied by a singular voice like Avinash Bikram Shah,” she said, adding, “The Kinnar community is respected and feared for their ancestral powers, yet ostracized by a transphobic society.”
German producer Michael Henricks said he has known Avinash well and has worked with him on many projects since they first met at a workshop in Kathmandu in 2014. “Producing his directorial debut, Elephants in the Mist, with a wonderful group of international partners has been a truly rewarding experience and a long-awaited milestone in our collaboration.”
Best Friend Forever co-founders Martin Gondre and Charles Bing said: “This film tells a vibrant portrait of a little-known community in Nepal.”
“The tension continues to rise as the investigation progresses, deeply embodying Safdie’s signature sense of urgency and culminating in a stunningly powerful finale not seen in recent Asian cinema. We can’t wait for the world to meet Pilati and her daughters,” they added.
Best Friend Forever will announce the remaining films from the Cannes Film Festival at a later stage. The company also represents Geneviève Droud-de Serre’s “Nina Rosa,” which won the Silver Bear for Best Original Screenplay at the Berlinale, as well as two animated titles: the Japanese film “The Frozen Hours” and the Brazilian film “Papaya.”
