Nepal has selected Abinash Bikram Shah’s Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature film Elephants in the Fog as its official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The film was chosen by Nepal’s International Feature Film Selection Committee from two submissions, including Gauthali, following an evaluation of their technical quality, storytelling, character development, artistic elements and overall film quality. The selection marks another major achievement for Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu), which became the first Nepali feature film to be selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival and subsequently won the section’s Jury Prize. The film is currently in its second week of theatrical release across Nepal. Director Abinash Bikram Shah described the Oscar selection as a humbling honour, saying the film’s story belongs to people whose lives often remain unseen and unheard. Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah also congratulated the cast and crew and wished them success in the next stage of their international journey. The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place in March 2027, giving Elephants in the Fog an opportunity to bring further international attention to Nepal’s growing film industry and its distinctive storytelling.
