Pushpa Thing Lama Wins Best Performance at Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Nepali actor Pushpa Thing Lama won the Best Performance award at the 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards, held on October 30 on Australia’s Gold Coast, according to The Kathmandu Post and Glamour Nepal. Lama was recognised for her debut role as Pirati in the drama Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu), directed by Abinash Bikram Shah.
The feature film entered the ceremony with three nominations: Best Film, Best Director for Shah, and Best Performance for Lama. The acting category evaluates performances without dividing nominees by gender, as reported by Glamour Nepal. The production is a collaborative effort involving Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, and Norway.
Pirati and the Kinnar Community on Screen
In the film, Lama portrays Pirati, the matriarch of a kinnar family living on the outskirts of a remote Nepali village. The characters patrol the local forest at night to protect their settlement from wild elephants, a routine disrupted when one of their members goes missing. Glamour Nepal notes that Lama, a transgender rights activist, drew on her community advocacy for the role, which explores themes of love, belonging, identity, and exclusion.
‘Elephants in the Fog’ actor Pushpa Lama wins Asia Pacific Screen awardThe actor was recognised for her portrayal of a member of Nepal’s marginalised kinnar community in Abinash Bikram Shah’s Cannes-winning film.https://t.co/mt1esRjWVV
Director Abinash Bikram Shah praised Lama’s contribution to the four-year production journey. “Lama’s sensitivity, courage and honesty in bringing Pirati to life on screen would remain special to the team,” Shah stated on social media, according to initial reports. Lama described the honor as a milestone that has connected her to the character permanently.
Film Wins Asia Pacific Screen Award After Historic Cannes Success
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards win follows the film’s success at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section. That award made Elephants in the Fog the first Nepali feature film to win an official award at Cannes, drawing widespread international attention to the country’s cinema.
While the film’s creative team had planned to travel to Australia for the APSA ceremony, they had to cancel their travel plans at the last minute, meaning no representatives attended the event in person, Onlinekhabar reported. The film subsequently saw a commercial release in Nepal in September.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elephants in the Fog and APSA
Who produced Elephants in the Fog?
The film was produced by Anup Poudel and written and directed by Abinash Bikram Shah.
Where did the 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards take place?
The ceremony was held on Australia’s Gold Coast on October 30.
What previous award did the film win at Cannes?
The film won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May.
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