ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG
In a Nepalese village populated by wild elephants, matriarch Pirati dreams of escaping to a “normal” life with the man she loves. But when her daughter disappears, she must investigate and choose between love and responsibility.
Description
New York Premiere
Deep in the forests of rural Nepal, Pirati leads a household of Kinnar women, an ancient third-gender community revered and feared for their perceived spiritual power. As wild elephants descend on the village at night, the villagers take turns patrolling the darkness to protect their crops and homes. Meanwhile, Pirati dreams of escaping this life with the mustachioed Drum Master she loves, beyond the sacred vows that bind her.
When one of her daughters disappears during a patrol and the police fail to investigate, Pirati sets out to find answers herself. As the mystery unravels, stirring up dangerous tensions within the family, Pirati is forced to choose between the love she longs for and responsibility for her beloved community.
Director Abinash Bikram Shah was the recipient of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
Part of the 38th Annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Director
Abinash Bikram Shah
Producer
Anup Poudel, Justin Pechberty, Damien Megherbi, Michael Henrichs Coproduced by Tatiana Leite, Leonardo Mecchi, Paul Zischler, Verona Meier, Prachanda Shrestha, Soham Dhakal, Kumudini Gurung Shrestha, Martin Rehbock, Susanne Mann
Writer
Abinash Bikram Shah
Cast
Puspa Thing Lama, Sahab Din Miya, Jasmin Bishwokarma, Aliz Ghimire
Cinematographer
Noé Bach
Editing
Andrew Bird, Paris J. Ludwig