"It's not necessary to have a local story. It's more important to have a film that has an international presentation. This is what I've understood thus far," he said.Director Tsering Rhitar Sherpa, also a producer of 'Kalo Pothi', was also present to share his own experiences. Both Bham and Sherpa were invited by the Nepal Independent Filmmakers Society to share their experiences. Chairman Anup Subedi stated that Bham's experience would help others.
"This is a new beginning for Nepali films. 'Kalo Pothi' winning the award has greatly encouraged many filmmakers and we thought we could use their experiences to learn something," Subedi said.
Bham, who returned two weeks ago after attending the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, won the Best Film award for his film 'Kalo Pothi' in the 'International Critics Week' of the festival.
He said that being in Venice was a fantastic experience, and was a balm, in many ways. "The film was not easy to make. But after we reached Venice, we forgot all the troubles we had encountered during the film making process. So when they appreciated our film, I felt really proud," he said.
'Kalo Pothi' received funds of almost Rs 20 million. However, the donors had to be notified and content with everything, from the script to the shooting process of the film, informed Sherpa.
"It's a very long process. They demand to know the concrete answers to questions about the storyboard, the cinematography and how the film will be presented. You have to forget your schedule because you are so busy answering their questions. 'Kalo Pothi' took three years to complete," he said.
In 2012, Bham's short film 'Bansuli' was also screened at the festival and this experience helped him a lot.
"First of all, 'Bansuli' gave birth to this desire to make a good film. It also helped me to build network. I think this is one advantage of our films making it to prestigious global stages. You are filled with new perspectives and excitement. At least, that's what I took away from these experiences," Bham said.
He added that many filmmakers quickly tire when they don't get the right encouragement. Irrespective of the kind of audience response 'Kalo Pothi' will generate in the future, Bham knows for certain that the film has filled him with enthusiasm to make another film.
So what was it about 'Kalo Pothi' that the critics really liked?
"The new voice of the film, the acting and the presentation," Bham lists, adding, "During an informal talk with the critics, they informed us that they liked the body language of the child actors. Maybe this is why they really liked the film."
This is the first time a Nepali film has won an award in an international film festival. Nepali audiences are also eagerly awaiting the release of 'Kalo Pothi'. Bham informed that they are looking at a date somewhere in February-March.
Meanwhile, the film will go on to different festivals before its release in Nepal.
"We're going to Busan International Film Festival, South Korea in the coming week. We might also be participating in around two dozen other festivals," he said.
"No one cared about us before Venice. But after we got selected for the festival, around 15 festivals showed interest in the film. Winning the award completely changed things because we have received invitations from 50 different film festivals around the world."
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