The announcement was made during a press meet at Nepal Tourism Board on Sunday where two teasers of the film were also launched. The teasers, featuring the voices of radio newsreaders Hari Sharan Lamichhane and Archana Gurung reading the news, gave glimpses of the film.In the festival, 'Kalo Pothi' has been selected for the Venice International Film Critics Week where it is being screened along with nine other films. It is among the seven films in competition during that week.
One of the producers of the film, Tsering Rhitar Sherpa spoke about his excitement to be part of such a project while director Bham shared that the first seed of the story came to him three years ago in Busan, Korea.
The film is set during Nepal's 10-year civil war and focuses on two young boys from different communities in a remote village in Nepal. The boys with a shared goal go through a series of incidents that reflect how in Nepal, in almost every walk of life, one can see unity in diversity.
'Kalo Pothi' is the recipient of prominent grants, like the World Cinema Fund from which it received 30,000 Euros, the Swiss Fund Vision Sud with 50,000 Swiss Francs, and Aide aux Cinemas du monde with 110,000 Francs.
Shot in the remote highlands of Mugu, the film has a cast of Khadka Raj Nepali, Sukra Raj Rokaya, and Benisha Hamal among others. Hamal who plays a teacher in the film said, "I did my best to learn the local language. The film showed me what passion for filmmaking is really all about and I believe it will help me in my career."
At the event, Surya Thapaliya of Nepal Tourism Board declared that the board would do its best to help filmmakers like Bham. Chairman of Nepal Film Development Board (NFDC) Raj Kumar Rai also extended his best wishes to the team while stating that NFDC will now be helping to smooth the filmmaking and post production process for all filmmakers.
'Kalo Pothi' will be releasing in Nepal by the end of this year. The film is also being released in 34 countries across the globe.
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