From TikTok to Cannes: How ‘Elephants in the Fog’ Made Nepal’s Historic Un Certain Regard Breakthrough
- The TikTok Inspiration
- Nepal’s Big Moment
- Why This Matters
We just heard some news that honestly blew us away. Get this: During Nepal’s pandemic lockdowns, a filmmaker named Abinash Bikram Shah spent a lot of time on TikTok. You know how it is. He fell into a rabbit hole. But what he found there was pretty special.
He was watching videos of Kinnars. These are members of Nepal’s ancient third-gender community. They were dancing. Joking. Just being themselves with such pure, unselfconscious joy. The visual style of their videos? So vibrant, so full of life! But then, the comments section. Oof. Really ugly stuff.
Despite all the negativity, the Kinnars kept posting. They kept shining. That, Shah told Variety, really stuck with him. It hit him hard. This powerful contrast became the spark for his new film.
And now, that film, called ‘Elephants in the Fog,’ has made it huge. It just got into Un Certain Regard at Cannes. That’s a massive deal! Nepal’s first ever. Talk about a breakthrough.
Our Take
Here at BuzzMedia Times, with our co-founders Sucheta and Arti Pal both being art graduates, stories like this really resonate. It’s not just a film going to a festival. It’s art born from unexpected places. From the digital screens of TikTok, confronting harsh realities, and yet maintaining an incredible spirit. It shows how creativity can truly capture the human experience, even in the toughest times. And it champions voices that deserve to be heard and seen on the biggest stages. We love that vibe.
