North American Premiere
The future is looking bright for beautiful Pema when she marries into a family of three brothers – one still a boy, another a monk, and the third the charming, sweet-talking Tashi. But things get complicated when her beloved Tashi leaves for a remote trade deal only weeks into their marital bliss and she finds out that she’s pregnant. Once malicious rumours start to spread about the father of the child, Pema embarks on her own mission to set the record straight and clear her name.
Shambhala marks Min Bahadur Bham’s long-awaited return eight years after his feature debut, The Black Hen. At once a love story, a tale of empowerment and an ethnographic record, this captivating, transcendental odyssey takes one into the heart of the Himalayas and its vibrant, yet complex communities weighed down by ancient social customs. The director applies a gentle touch and thoughtful contemporary lens to highlight the beauty and cultural complexity of his native land.
At once a spiritual odyssey and a more concrete journey of female self-determination, this is a visually magnificent slow-burner filmed high in the Himalayas.
Jonathan Romney, Screen International Reviewed
Supported by
Media Partner
Community Partner
Thinley Lhamo, Sonam Topden, Tenzin Dalha, Karma Wangyal Gurung, Karma Shakya, Loten Namling
Nepal/France/Norway/Turkey/
Hong Kong/Taiwan/USA/Qatar
2024
In Tibetan and Nepalese with English subtitles
At VIFF Centre
At Fifth Avenue
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Debaki Rai, Liao Ching-Sung, Roger Huang, Ruben Thorkildsen, Can Aygor, Salina Shakya
Producer
Min Bahadur Bham
Screenwriter
Min Bahadur Bham, Abinash Bikram Shah
Cinematography
Aziz Jan Baki
Editor
Liao Ching-Sung, Kiran Shrestha
Production Design
Ramlal Khadka
Original Music
Nhyoo Bajracharya
Min Bahadur Bham
Nepalese filmmaker Min Bahadur Bham holds master’s degrees in Buddhist philosophy and political science while pursuing a PhD in anthropology. His short, Bansulli (2012), was Nepal’s first entry to the Venice IFF, followed by his debut feature Kalo Pothi (2015), which won the FEDEORA Best Film Award at Venice Critics Week and became Nepal’s official Oscar entry. Acknowledged for nurturing emerging talent, his productions have graced festivals like — Venice, Berlinale, Rotterdam, and Busan. His second feature, Shambhala (2024), made history as Nepal’s first film in the Berlinale Competition section.
Filmography: Kalo Pothi (2015)
Photo by Angad Dhakal
Vanguard
See more films in this series
Toxic
Eager to fit in and impress her new best friend, 13-year-old Marija reluctantly joins a shady modeling school that drives girls to dangerous extremes as they try to fit an unattainable mold and pursue the promise of a glamorous life overseas.
I Saw Three Black Lights
In this quietly profound drama, a wise old shaman embarks on a final journey into the Colombian jungle to settle a spiritual debt and reconnect with his late son. A cinematic love letter to ancient traditions, steeped in the lush, immersive rainforest.
Red Path
Inspired by recent terrorist atrocities in the Mghila Mountains of Northwest Tunisia, this chilling drama centers on Achraf, a 13-year-old boy who witnesses the brutal killing of his cousin and is forced to relay the message to the victim’s family.
Me, Maryam, the Children and 26 Others
When a woman decides to rent her home for a film shoot, she’s not prepared for the intrusion she’ll experience by having the film crew in her space. But as the production ramps up and she finds herself immersed in the work, lines begin to blur...
Shambhala
At once a love story, a tale of empowerment and an ethnographic record, this captivating drama follows pregnant Pema on a strenuous journey across the Himalayas to clear her name when her child’s paternity is questioned.
78 Days
Set in the late 90s war-afflicted Serbian countryside, this vibrant dramedy follows three sisters coming of age while their father has been sent to the front line. Recording videos for their dad, the girls nevertheless get up to all kinds of mischief.
Familiar Touch
Sarah Friedland makes an elegant debut with this restrained drama about an elderly woman’s transition to a care home. Kathleen Chalfant commands the screen with absolute poise in her thoughtful portrait of a woman trying to hold on to her dignity.