Herstory made for Nepali cinema and trans representation at Cannes

Elephants in the Fog, directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The film centres on a Kinnar community of trans women in Nepal, with community members also appearing in the cast.

This marks a historic milestone as Elephants in the Fog became the first Nepali feature film in Cannes’ official selection and the first Nepali film to win a major award at the festival.

This achievement brings global visibility to Nepali cinema and to stories of trans communities that deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.