Elephants in the Fog

Elephants in the Fog
Nepaliतिनीहरू
Directed byAbinash Bikram Shah
Screenplay byAbinash Bikram Shah
Story by
  • Abinash Bikram Shah
  • Sandeep Badal
Produced by
  • Anup Poudel
  • Justin Pechberty
  • Michael Henrichs
Starring
  • Pushpa Thing Lama
  • Deepika Yadav
  • Jasmine Bishwokarma
  • Aliz Ghimire
  • Dura Sanjay Kumar Gupta
CinematographyNoé Bach
Edited byAndrew Bird
  • Paris J. Ludwig
Music byFrederic Alvarez
Production
companies
  • Underground Talkies Nepal
  • Les Valseurs
  • Die Gesellschaft
  • Zischlermann Filmproduktion
  • Enquadramento Produções
  • Bubbles Project
  • Storm Films
Distributed by
  • Arizona Distribution (France)
Release date
  • 20 May 2026 (2026-05-20) (Cannes)
Running time
103 minutes
Countries
  • Nepal
  • France
  • Germany
  • Brazil
  • Norway
LanguagesNepali, Bhojpuri

Elephants in the Fog (Nepali: तिनीहरू, romanized: Tinīharū) is a 2026 thriller film written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, in his directorial debut. Starring Pushpa Thing Lama, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwokarma, Aliz Ghimire, and Dura Sanjay Kumar Gupta,[1] it follows a Nepalese Kinnar community struggle to protect itself.

The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on 20 May,[2] where it won the section's Jury Prize.[3] It was also nominated for the Camera d'Or and Queer Palm.

Premise

Pirati, the matriarch of a Kinnar community in a Nepalese village, is torn between fleeing with the man she loves and staying to fulfill her duty to search for a missing woman from her community.[4]

Cast

  • Pushpa Thing Lama
  • Deepika Yadav
  • Jasmine Bishwokarma
  • Aliz Ghimire
  • Dura Sanjay Gupta
  • Akanchha Karki
  • Maotse Gurung
  • Aashant Sharma

Production

Elephants in the Fog is an international co-production of Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil, and Norway. In October 2021, the project was selected to participate at the Asian Project Market, held during the 26th Busan International Film Festival.[5] It won the Pop Up Film Residency Award.[6] In November 2021, it received a €10,000 development grant from the Hubert Bals Fund.[7] In April 2022, Shah participated in the Film Independent's Global Media Makers residency to develop the screenplay.[8] He also developed the script at the 2022 Oxbelly Lab.[9] In May 2022, the project was also presented at the La Fabrique Cinéma de l'Institut Français during the Cannes Film Festival.[10] Shah also participated at the 2023 Sundance Screenwriters' Lab.[11]

It participated at the Venice Gap-Financing Market in July 2023.[12] In August 2023, the project received a €40,000 production grant from the World Cinema Fund.[13] In September 2025, it participated at the European Work in Progress, where it received a €30,000 post-production grant.[14][15]

Release

Elephants in the Fog had its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival at the Un Certain Regard section,[16] receiving over 8-minute standing ovation.[17] Prior to its world premiere, the film's international sales was acquired by Best Friend Forever.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  2. ↑ "The Screenings Guide of the 79th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 2026-05-07. Retrieved 2026-05-07.
  3. ↑ Ross, Rafa Sales (2026-05-22). "Sandra Wollner's 'Everytime' Wins Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes". Variety. Retrieved 2026-05-22.
  4. ↑ "LES ELEPHANTS DANS LA BRUME". Les Valseurs (in French). Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Noh, Jean (10 August 2021). "Busan selects 26 titles for Asian Project Market 2021". Screen International. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Announces the Winners of Asian Project Market 2021 Awards". Asian Project Market. 14 October 2021. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Dalton, Ben (17 November 2021). "Hubert Bals Fund reveals 10 projects in 2021 autumn selection". Screen International. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  8. ↑ Grobar, Matt (13 April 2022). "Film Independent Sets 30 For 2022 Global Media Makers Residency". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  9. ↑ Dams, Tim (24 June 2022). "Oxbelly Lab mentors 13 international projects from promising screenwriters and directors". Screen International. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "LA FABRIQUE CINÉMA 2022 invites EAVE Producers to meet the projects". European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs. 4 May 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Grobar, Matt (13 January 2023). "Sundance Fellows Set For 2023 Screenwriters Lab And Intensive". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (3 July 2023). "Annemarie Jacir, Aisling Walsh, Jim Sheridan & Anca Damian Head To Venice Gap-Financing Market – Full Feature Film Project List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Rosser, Michael (7 August 2023). "Venice title 'Heartless' and Burak Cevik drama among 13 projects backed by Berlinale World Cinema Fund". Screen International. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "European Work in Progress (EWIP) 2025 Unveils Selected Projects and Highlights". Film New Europe. 9 September 2025. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Blaney, Martin (2 October 2025). "European Works In Progress presents total prizes worth €140,000". Screen International. Archived from the original on 5 November 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  16. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa; Shafer, Ellise (9 April 2026). "Cannes Film Festival 2026 Lineup: Asghar Farhadi, Pedro Almodóvar, Ira Sachs, Hirokazu Kore-eda Set for Auteur-Driven Competition". Variety. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  17. ↑ https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/cannes-film-festival-2026-nepali-feature-film-elephants-in-the-fog-receives-7-minute-standing-ovation-makes-history-14014031.html
  18. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (9 April 2026). "Cannes' Nepalese Thriller 'Elephants in the Fog' Boarded by Best Friend Forever (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
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