(Kalo Pothi)

Set at a time when Nepal was ravaged by a deadly Maoist insurgency, the story revolves around two rural boys’ search for a hen on which their futures hinge, The film unfolds in 2001 at a time in Nepal when a protracted civil war between the army and left-wing rebels seems to be winding down, with both parties reaching out for peace talks. But the tension remains high, as both sides continue to play brinksmanship in the rural hinterlands: menacing soldiers in full military attire still patrol the heavily militarized countryside, while guerillas stage sermons and shows in villages in an attempt to rally support from the impoverished and mostly illiterate rural population. However the film’s two young protagonists confront more practical issues in life.

Winner Fedeora Award Best Film (International Film Critics Week) Venice, 2016