“I wrote the film not only to represent my experiences, but as an homage to a country and people that I had fallen in love with,” Rick McFarland wrote in an email interview to The Himalayan Times. He is the director of the film that stars Hollywood and Nepali actors — Rachel Hurd-Wood, Raj Ballav Koirala, Suesha Rana, Gunner Wright and Desh Bhakta Khanal. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Annapurna mountains, the film is about “learning to live well, to love, to give... to change”.

Two worlds collide when spoiled British heiress Elizabeth James visits Nepal in an attempt to fix her image through charitable acts and meets Laxmi, who is the headmistress of a small orphanage. And then there is pilot Ajit Thapa and American photojournalist Colt Morgan who discover that they too have reasons to change ...

The film is releasing on September 25 in Nepal.

Writing to THT McFarland says that the themes and characters in his debut film are all based on “experiences and thematic elements that have been important” to him trying to show “the beauty, love, life and change”.

There is more to it. “I think the love for the country and people really comes through and I’ve had very warm responses so far. I pray that Nepal will embrace it for what it was intended to be. I have had a few people ask about the colour treatment. I used a very warm, somewhat desaturated look that was important for the melancholy feel of the film. For western audiences, it is a device that speaks well. It is not a standard colour treatment for Bollywood films, which are often very dynamic and colourful. I hope Nepali viewers understand and ‘feel’ the colour treatment as a portrayal of connection, of love of country and of people and also as a storytelling device.”

Forty per cent of the profit from Nepal screening of Highway to Dhampus will go towards the relief of people affected by the April 25 earthquake and other social activities through an NGO called Mind The Gap Worldwide.