Story perspectives

Cannes Debut “Elephants in the Fog” Spotlights Nepal’s KinnarCannes Debut “Elephants in the Fog” Spotlights Nepal’s Kinnar

5/20/2026

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Summary

Shah Cannes Premiere

Abinash Bikram Shah premiered Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu) at Cannes on May 20, 2026.
The drama follows Pirati, a Kinnar matriarch, as villagers fight wild elephants invading forests.
Despite Nepal’s legal third-gender recognition, many Kinnar remain excluded and pushed into sex work.
Shah spent two years with the community, cast activist Pushpa Thing Lama, and hopes Cannes viewers will see Kinnars as a whole.

Summary

Board Limits Cannes

The Nepal Film Development Board and Tourism Board were accused of limiting the Cannes stall to a few films.
Director Deepak Rauniyar said the missing Elephants in the Fog poster showed the stall failed Nepal’s global outreach.
Photos by Pradeep Shahi and Pradeep Khadka showed Eklo posters starring Board chair Dinesh DC, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.
Filmmakers said their posters and trailers were missing from the stall despite a February–March notice.

History

Historical Context

After the Supreme Court’s 2007 Sunil Babu Pant decision mandated a third-gender “other” option on citizenship cards—first used by Bishnu Adhikari in 2008—Nepal’s legal recognition has empowered cultural voices. Today filmmaker Abinash Bikram Shah presents *Elephants in the Fog* at Cannes, starring activist Pushpa Thing Lama and backed by the Nepal Development Board, highlighting both progress and lingering bureaucratic hurdles.

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Shah Cannes Premiere

Abinash Bikram Shah premiered Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu) at Cannes on May 20, 2026.
The drama follows Pirati, a Kinnar matriarch, as villagers fight wild elephants invading forests.
Despite Nepal’s legal third-gender recognition, many Kinnar remain excluded and pushed into sex work.
Shah spent two years with the community, cast activist Pushpa Thing Lama, and hopes Cannes viewers will see Kinnars as a whole.

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