An investigative thriller and riveting police procedural set against the backdrop of the 2015 Madhesi protests in Nepal, the film follows Pooja, a queer female Detective Inspector, as she investigates the abduction of two boys in a border town while confronting pervasive misogyny and racial biases, especially towards the Madhesi minority.
Rauniyar, drawing from his personal experiences, crafts a story that challenges patriarchal norms and highlights the resilience of women in oppressive systems by exploring the intricate layers of gender and ethnicity and shedding light on the complexities of identity and societal structures in contemporary Nepal.
Deepak Rauniyar
Deepak Rauniyar’s first feature film, Highway (2012), was the first film from Nepal to screen at a major global film festival, premiering at Berlinale and later playing at Locarno. His second feature, White Sun (2016), debuted at the Venice Orizzonti competition to rave reviews. The Hollywood Reporter called it “impressively accomplished,” and The New York Times said White Sun “captures a place that isn’t seen much in movies.” Rauniyar was also featured among the “9 New Directors to Watch” list. The film screened internationally at over 100 film festivals, including Toronto, Locarno, Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, Sydney, and Golden Horse. It won the Interfilm Award at Venice and Best Film at the Singapore and Palm Springs Film Festivals. Nepal picked White Sun to represent the country for Best Foreign Language Film (currently Best International Film category) at the 90th Academy Awards.
