‘Elephants in the Fog’ brings glory to Nepal, wins Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes

Nepalese film "Elephants in the Fog" has won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, marking a landmark achievement for the country’s cinema on the global stage.

Directed by Abhinash Bikram Shah, the film became one of the most emotionally discussed South Asian entries at this year’s festival following its premiere at Salle Debussy. The award is considered the second-highest honour in the Un Certain Regard category, which highlights bold and distinctive cinematic voices from around the world.

Set within a society shaped by silence, exclusion, and buried tensions, "Elephants in the Fog" examines the human cost of treating certain communities as outsiders. The film drew praise from critics and audiences for its restrained storytelling, atmospheric direction, and emotionally layered performances.

Its reception at Cannes signals growing international attention toward emerging South Asian filmmakers working outside traditional industry centres. In a festival dominated by high-profile premieres and global studio attention, Shah’s quiet and deeply humane drama stood out for its emotional clarity and political subtlety.

Read more

Addressing the ‘Elephants in the Fog’ and how we treat our ‘others’

The Jury Prize win places "Elephants in the Fog" among the most celebrated films of this year’s Un Certain Regard lineup. Austrian director Sandra Wollner’s "Everytime" received the top Un Certain Regard Prize, while Louis Clichy’s "Le Corset" won the Special Jury Prize. Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset earned Best Actor for "Congo Boy", while Marina de Tavira, Daniela Marín Navarro, and Mariangel Villegas jointly received the Best Actress award for "Siempre Soy Tu Animal Materno".

The author is the Entertainment Editor at The Daily Star