White Sun

In the small village of Nepaltra, situated in the Nepalese Himalayas, there are hardly any young men left. War and exile have driven them away and the remaining men are old and keep strictly to their traditions. When the former mayor dies, his sons need to overcome their political differences and jointly bring him to the valley to cremate him at the banks of the river, according to local traditions.

Director Deepak Rauniyar wraps up the complex recent history of Nepal into a compelling parable. Between 1996 and 2006, the armed conflict between Maoist rebels and the government army of the kingdom of Nepal resulted in over 16,000 casualties. Chandra is on the side of the Maoists and despises the traditions that he says keep class differences in place. His brother Suraj remained in the village and his political opinions are radically opposed to Chandra’s. Now that they must bring their father to his final resting place, they are forced to work together and overcome their differences. Against the backdrop of the beautiful Himalaya, director Rauniyar keeps his story perfectly balanced.

Text: Annika Wubbolt