A powerful win at an international film festival has placed Elephants in the Fog in global spotlight, highlighting its storytelling strength and rising impact in world cinema.
Published: May 23, 2026 5:40 PM IST
A Nepali film has made global headlines after achieving a landmark win at the Cannes Film Festival 2026. Elephants in the Fog has become the first film from Nepal to win an award at Cannes after securing the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the festival’s 79th edition. The victory has been widely celebrated as a breakthrough moment for Nepali cinema on the international stage. The film had already attracted attention even before its win as it was selected in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section known for highlighting bold storytelling and new creative voices from around the world. This recognition has now placed the film and its team in the global spotlight.
Historic win for Nepal at Cannes
Elephants in the Fog is written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah in his feature directorial debut. The film’s selection alone had already created history as the first Nepali entry in the Un Certain Regard category, which runs parallel to the Palme d’Or competition at Cannes. With its Jury Prize win, the film has now taken another major step forward by becoming Nepal’s first official award winner at the festival.
What is the storyline?
The film is set in Thori, a forest village located in Nepal’s southern Terai region. It focuses on the lives of transgender women living on the margins of society. The official synopsis follows a character named Pirati who leads a Kinnar community. She dreams of leaving her present life behind and starting fresh with the man she loves. However her plans take a painful turn when one of her daughters goes missing forcing her to choose between personal happiness and her responsibilities as a community leader.
Watch Elephants in the Fog trailer here
Emotional acceptance speech at Cannes
During the award ceremony Abinash Bikram Shah delivered an emotional speech highlighting the purpose behind the film. He said, “For so long the lives of Pirati and her daughters the communities and all the persons who are in the East have been kept invisible. By bringing our story here and by recognising it with this award we have pulled those margins into the light. We have made the invisible visible.” He dedicated the award to his entire team who were present at the event.
Cast and international collaboration
Elephants in the Fog features performances by Pushpa Thing, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwakarma, Shanti Giri, Gauri Malla, Maotse Gurung, Sanjay Gupta, Dura Mahima, Nawabag and Akanksha Karki in key roles. The film is a global co production between Nepali production houses Underground Talkies Nepal and Jayanthi Creations along with international partners from France Germany Brazil and Norway.
