An ‘original and simple story told honestly’ bags Best Film Award at the Critics’ Week

KATHMANDU:  Nepali feature film Kalo Pothi (The Black Hen) has won the Best Film award at Venice International Film Critics’ Week — an independent section within the 72nd Venice International Film Festival.

Directed by filmmaker Min Bahadur Bham, Kalo Pothi — the first ever Nepali feature film to participate in this prestigious film festival — has become the winner of Fedeora Award for the Best Film in the Critics’ Week. This award is given every year in Cannes, Venice and Berlin Film Festivals — the film is chosen by five independent juries appointed by the European Film Critics Association, as per Bham.

And the director, who is in currently in Venice, Italy, took to his Facebook page to share the news. Later talking to The Himalayan Times in an email interview, he said, “I am feeling very happy and proud” but added, “I am really missing my beautiful country, Nepal and innocent people at this moment. I really want to dedicate this award to fellow Nepalis and pray that peace prevails in our country and the political crisis ends.”

The talented director was confident about winning the award post the press show of the movie in Venice. When they had the press show, “all the critics liked the film and there was lots of positive press review in different news portals from all around the world”.

The Critics’ Week line-up had 10 debut works from different parts of the globe — seven works competing in the section. They had been selected from among 1,900 films submitted from around the world. “It means every film had its own capability, quality and was equally comparative.”

Films from Australia, UK, Italy, Portugal, China, Turkey, and Singapore had also participated in the Week. But what made Kalo Pothi stand out? Bham said that he just didn’t try to tell the story.

“Rather  I tried to tell my original story very honestly and very personally so that my first attempt was just to explore myself totally like naked child. It didn’t matter what other people said. And our story is very simple, at the same time it is very local with Asian and Nepali seed. I believe that if you go locally, you can automatically reach global. And later it becomes a universal story.”

Kalo Pothi captures the story of two young close friends — Prakash and Kiran — with the decade-long Civil War of Nepal in the backdrop. Shot in Mugu district of Nepal, the film is a co-production of Nepal, Switzerland, Germany, and France.

Made on a budget of Rs three crores, the film stars Khadka Raj Nepali, Sukra Raj Rokaya, Jit Bahadur Malla, Hansha Khadka, Benisha Hamal, Nanda Prashad Khatri, Bipin Karki, and Pravin Khatiwada.

After Venice, the movie is going to Busan, Tokyo and  other 20 film festivals around the world, as per Bham. It will be released in Europe, North America, Japan, Korea, Arab world and in African regions this December.

As for Nepal, he is hopeful to release it in March 2016.