How Anup Poudel took Nepali cinema to Cannes

Poudel’s journey from a movie-goer in Kavre to an award-winning producer reflects the growing global reach of Nepali independent cinema.

Anup Poudel’s eyes welled up as he stood inside the Shuvakamana Hi-Vision Hall in Banepa, Kavre, on the afternoon of September 8. Poudel was surrounded by film enthusiasts gathered for a screening of the Nepali thriller ‘Elephants in the Fog’—titled ‘Tiniharu’ in Nepali—which he had produced. The occasion marked a sweet homecoming for him. This hall used to be the destination of Poudel’s escapades during his childhood. This was a place where he had first begun dreaming. “I dreamed of reaching Cannes from right here in Kavre,” he said.