Nepali filmmaker Min Bahadur Bham’s journey to make Berlin competition title “Shambhala” was arduous but an ultimately rewarding one.
Bham’s 2012 short “Bhansulli” debuted at Venice. His debut feature “Kalo Pothi” won the Fedeora best film award at Venice Critics’ Week and became Nepal’s official Oscar entry. It has been a nine-year process to bring “Shambhala” to fruition since then.
The filmmaker says that after “Kalo Pothi,” it took him a long time to write the script of “Shambhala,” which went through 45 drafts. He also wanted to experience the global labs, markets and residencies that he hadn’t on his first feature. These included Busan’s Asian Film Market, Cannes Cinefondation Residence and Locarno’s Open Doors. When those were done, finding the right cast and locations took a while and once those were finalized, Covid-19 struck.
“Shambhala” – a mystic, sacred realm in Tibetan Buddhism, also an area of significance in Hinduism,...
Bham’s 2012 short “Bhansulli” debuted at Venice. His debut feature “Kalo Pothi” won the Fedeora best film award at Venice Critics’ Week and became Nepal’s official Oscar entry. It has been a nine-year process to bring “Shambhala” to fruition since then.
The filmmaker says that after “Kalo Pothi,” it took him a long time to write the script of “Shambhala,” which went through 45 drafts. He also wanted to experience the global labs, markets and residencies that he hadn’t on his first feature. These included Busan’s Asian Film Market, Cannes Cinefondation Residence and Locarno’s Open Doors. When those were done, finding the right cast and locations took a while and once those were finalized, Covid-19 struck.
“Shambhala” – a mystic, sacred realm in Tibetan Buddhism, also an area of significance in Hinduism,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever (“Banel & Adama”) has acquired international rights to “Shambhala,” the first Nepalese film to premiere in competition at the Berlinale or any other top film festival.
Directed by Min Bahadur Bham, “Shambhala” is also the first South Asian film to be selected in Berlinale’s competition lineup after three decades. Bham is best known for his feature debut, “Kalo Pothi,” which won a prize at Venice Critics’ Week in 2015. The helmer previously directed “Bansulli,” which was Nepal’s first selection at the Venice Film Festival in 2012.
“Shambhala” is set in a Himalayan polyandrous village in Nepal, where a newly married and pregnant woman, Pema, tries to make the best of her new life. But soon, her husband Tashi vanishes, prompting her to embark on a journey into the wilderness to find him, accompanied by her monk.
The film shot in the world’s highest settlement, located...
Directed by Min Bahadur Bham, “Shambhala” is also the first South Asian film to be selected in Berlinale’s competition lineup after three decades. Bham is best known for his feature debut, “Kalo Pothi,” which won a prize at Venice Critics’ Week in 2015. The helmer previously directed “Bansulli,” which was Nepal’s first selection at the Venice Film Festival in 2012.
“Shambhala” is set in a Himalayan polyandrous village in Nepal, where a newly married and pregnant woman, Pema, tries to make the best of her new life. But soon, her husband Tashi vanishes, prompting her to embark on a journey into the wilderness to find him, accompanied by her monk.
The film shot in the world’s highest settlement, located...
- 1/24/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy’s absurdist social satire “Feathers,” in which the good-for-nothing husband of a woman with three children is turned into a chicken, is the big winner of the sixth edition of the Critics’ Awards for Arab Films.
The biting black comedy, winner of last year’s Cannes Critics’ Week prize, scooped best film, director and screenplay at the prizes organized by Cairo-based Arab Cinema Centre (Acc) and voted on by 167 film critics from 68 countries, who viewed the films on Festival Scope.
Nominees are chosen among Arab-language films that premiered on the festival circuit outside of the Arab world in 2021. The awards were announced on Sunday in Cannes.
“Feathers,” which took six years to get to the big screen, was produced by Juliette Lepoutre from Still Moving (France), in co-production with Mohamed Hefzy’s Film Clinic (Egypt), Shahinaz Al Akkad from Lagoonie Film (Egypt), Derk-Jan Warrink and...
The biting black comedy, winner of last year’s Cannes Critics’ Week prize, scooped best film, director and screenplay at the prizes organized by Cairo-based Arab Cinema Centre (Acc) and voted on by 167 film critics from 68 countries, who viewed the films on Festival Scope.
Nominees are chosen among Arab-language films that premiered on the festival circuit outside of the Arab world in 2021. The awards were announced on Sunday in Cannes.
“Feathers,” which took six years to get to the big screen, was produced by Juliette Lepoutre from Still Moving (France), in co-production with Mohamed Hefzy’s Film Clinic (Egypt), Shahinaz Al Akkad from Lagoonie Film (Egypt), Derk-Jan Warrink and...
- 5/22/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Grasshopper Film has acquired U.S. rights to Omar El Zohairy’s “Feathers,” which won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week, Variety can reveal.
The Egyptian writer-director’s feature debut, which is being repped by the boutique Athens-based production company and sales agent Heretic, has also sold to China (Huanxi Media), Italy (Wanted) and Greece (Cinobo). As previously announced, the film will also be distributed in France by Dulac Distribution.
Set in contemporary Egypt, “Feathers” follows the journey of a woman with three children whose idealist husband is turned into a chicken by a magician in a magic-trick gone awry. An absurd series of coincidences ensues, and a mother whose mundane life has been dedicated to her family must move heaven and earth to bring back her husband and ensure their survival.
“‘Feathers’ started from a very simple idea I had six years ago. It...
The Egyptian writer-director’s feature debut, which is being repped by the boutique Athens-based production company and sales agent Heretic, has also sold to China (Huanxi Media), Italy (Wanted) and Greece (Cinobo). As previously announced, the film will also be distributed in France by Dulac Distribution.
Set in contemporary Egypt, “Feathers” follows the journey of a woman with three children whose idealist husband is turned into a chicken by a magician in a magic-trick gone awry. An absurd series of coincidences ensues, and a mother whose mundane life has been dedicated to her family must move heaven and earth to bring back her husband and ensure their survival.
“‘Feathers’ started from a very simple idea I had six years ago. It...
- 8/2/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Heretic, the Athens-based boutique production company and sales agent, has acquired world sales rights for “Feathers,” the feature-length debut of Egyptian writer-director Omar El Zohairy, which will have its premiere in Cannes Critics’ Week.
“Feathers” explores a family’s transformation when a magic trick goes awry at a birthday party, and the magician turns the father into a chicken. The film was produced by Juliette Lepoutre from Still Moving (France), in co-production with Mohamed Hefzy from Film Clinic (Egypt), Shahinaz Al Akkad from Lagoonie Film (Egypt), Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen from Kepler Film (The Netherlands), Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovrakis from Heretic (Greece), and Verona Meier.
“‘Feathers’ tells a story about a family that is topical and essential. Turning the father into a chicken and adding a great deal of humor into it, the film lets you absorb a narrative that is serious yet absurd and unconventional,” said Heretic...
“Feathers” explores a family’s transformation when a magic trick goes awry at a birthday party, and the magician turns the father into a chicken. The film was produced by Juliette Lepoutre from Still Moving (France), in co-production with Mohamed Hefzy from Film Clinic (Egypt), Shahinaz Al Akkad from Lagoonie Film (Egypt), Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen from Kepler Film (The Netherlands), Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovrakis from Heretic (Greece), and Verona Meier.
“‘Feathers’ tells a story about a family that is topical and essential. Turning the father into a chicken and adding a great deal of humor into it, the film lets you absorb a narrative that is serious yet absurd and unconventional,” said Heretic...
- 6/23/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Rome’s Mia Market for TV series, feature films and documentaries wrapped Sunday after four days of dealmaking, project presentations and panels done both in person and online. Given coronavirus constraints it constituted a minor miracle.
On the final day of the Oct. 14-18 event organizers announced a total 1,800 industry executives from 50 countries who registered for the new concept market, 700 of which on average physically attended the Rome market each day, they said.
About one-third of participants were non-Italian. Roughly 300 international execs made the trek.
Though last year’s Mia edition gathered 2,600 physical participants, this year’s widely-expected decrease in onsite attendees was counterbalanced by intense activity on the Mia digital platform, organizers said.
Mia director Lucia Milazzotto pointed out that this year saw a significant rise in industry exec accreditations taking place during the event. This means that, as Mia got underway, it was generating buzz, she noted.
Mia...
On the final day of the Oct. 14-18 event organizers announced a total 1,800 industry executives from 50 countries who registered for the new concept market, 700 of which on average physically attended the Rome market each day, they said.
About one-third of participants were non-Italian. Roughly 300 international execs made the trek.
Though last year’s Mia edition gathered 2,600 physical participants, this year’s widely-expected decrease in onsite attendees was counterbalanced by intense activity on the Mia digital platform, organizers said.
Mia director Lucia Milazzotto pointed out that this year saw a significant rise in industry exec accreditations taking place during the event. This means that, as Mia got underway, it was generating buzz, she noted.
Mia...
- 10/18/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Six countries feature across this year’s Sørfond fund projects.
The Norwegian Film Institute has awarded Nok 3m to six international co-productions with Norwegian minority producers.
The six projects were chosen from 45 applications to the Sørfond fund, which exists to support film production in developing countries where it is limited for political or economic reasons.
They were selected by a jury composed of editor and Norwegian Film School professor Sophie Hesselberg; producer and director Sebastián Peña Escobar; and Films From The South Festival project manager Per Eirik Gilsvik.
The jury held its discussions remotely, with Hesselberg and Gilsvik joining from Oslo,...
The Norwegian Film Institute has awarded Nok 3m to six international co-productions with Norwegian minority producers.
The six projects were chosen from 45 applications to the Sørfond fund, which exists to support film production in developing countries where it is limited for political or economic reasons.
They were selected by a jury composed of editor and Norwegian Film School professor Sophie Hesselberg; producer and director Sebastián Peña Escobar; and Films From The South Festival project manager Per Eirik Gilsvik.
The jury held its discussions remotely, with Hesselberg and Gilsvik joining from Oslo,...
- 5/26/2020
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Cannes–Seven first-feature projects will be pitched to an audience of industry professionals at Focus CoPro’, an event hosted by Cannes’ Short Film Corner that will take place Tuesday May 21 at the Palais des Festivals.
The pitching session, which is run in collaboration with Nisi Masa and the Pop Up Film Residency, was introduced last year as a way to support early-career filmmakers looking to make the leap from short to feature films. This year’s edition will build on the success of the inaugural program with an expanded scope, according to Short Film Corner head Camille Hébert-Bénazet. “This year is our second edition and we are expecting more people, especially buyers, residences, labs, film funds and more producers,” she said.
The Focus CoPro’ pitch has also expanded to include more projects, with organizers winnowing down more than 90 applicants to select the seven most promising projects—as well as another...
The pitching session, which is run in collaboration with Nisi Masa and the Pop Up Film Residency, was introduced last year as a way to support early-career filmmakers looking to make the leap from short to feature films. This year’s edition will build on the success of the inaugural program with an expanded scope, according to Short Film Corner head Camille Hébert-Bénazet. “This year is our second edition and we are expecting more people, especially buyers, residences, labs, film funds and more producers,” she said.
The Focus CoPro’ pitch has also expanded to include more projects, with organizers winnowing down more than 90 applicants to select the seven most promising projects—as well as another...
- 5/20/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
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