Elephants in the Fog scripts history, becomes first Nepali film to win at Cannes 2026

Nepali feature film Elephants in the Fog has made history by becoming the first Nepali film to win at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The film competed in the Un Certain Regard section of the prestigious festival this year and bagged the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize.

Nepali film Elephants in the Fog wins big at Cannes

Written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, Elephants in the Fog follows the story of a family living in a settlement affected by elephant attacks. It focuses on a mother-daughter duo, as per The Kathmandu Post.

About Elephants in the Fog

Set in a small Nepalese village nestled deep within a forest inhabited by wild elephants, the film is about Pirati, the matriarch of a community of transgender women. “She longs for a ‘normal’ life with Master, a moustachioed man she loves. But when one of her girls disappears, she must choose between love and her responsibility to her community,” read the synopsis of the film on Letterboxd.

Meet the film team

The film stars Pushpa Thing, Deepika Yadav, Jasmine Bishwakarma, Shanti Giri, Gauri Malla, Maotse Gurung, Sanjay Gupta Dura, Mahima Nawabag and Akanksha Karki.

The film is presented by two Nepali banners, Underground Talkies Nepal and Jayanthi Creations, with partners from France, Germany, Brazil and Norway. It is produced by Anup Paudel and Prachanda Man Shrestha.

For the unversed, Un Certain Regard is a section introduced in 1978, highlighting emerging filmmakers and distinctive storytelling voices. It runs parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or and is considered the second most prestigious section at the Cannes Film Festival.

Who is Abinash Bikram Shah

Reportedly, Elephant in the Fog marks Abinash Bikram Shah's directorial debut in feature films.

Previously, Shah's short, Lori, received a Special Mention at the 75th edition of Cannes. It too became the first Nepali short to earn that recognition. His previous writing credits include Kalo Pothi, Highway and Tatini, all of which were screened at various international festivals.

Receiving the award on stage, director Abinash Bikram Shah said, as quoted by India Today: “For so long, the lives of Pirati and her daughters, the communities and all the persons, who are in the East, have been kept invisible. By bringing our story here and by recognising it with this award, we have pulled those margins into the light. We have made the invisible visible.”

Manisha Koirala

Following the announcement of selection at Cannes, the team of Elephants in the Fog hosted a success party. The celebration was also attended by renowned Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala.

The actor shared the happy news on social media and congratulated the film team in a post. She took to Instagram and wrote, "What an evening! Kumudani and @praveshgurung, thank you for throwing a wonderful celebration of Nepal's #uncertainregard debut at @festivaldecannes. Met some incredible young artists who are pushing boundaries with their art. The team behind 'Tini Haru' 'The Elephant In The Fog' deserves a huge round of applause!

"The film is a testament to the power of creative storytelling. Grateful for the conversations and new connections. @anuppou I enjoyed listening to your speech!! Bravo to you," Koirala added.