THE Bonsai
THE-Bonsai is the story of a 15-years old girl who struggles with her perplexed state of mind due to the behavior portrayed by the society. This leads her to wonder about the creations of nature and keeps searching for the answer.
This film shows the comparison of the humans between other natural elements and their struggle for survival.
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Dipa BasnetDirectorAntaraal, Shree panch Ambare, Bhando
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Anil RimalDirectorWater World
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Sushila PanditExecutive ProducerWater World
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Bindu Tandon AryalProducer
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Binisha GurungKey Cast"Aashma"
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Daya Hang RaiKey Cast"Rakesh"
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Pashupati RaiKey Cast"Taara"
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Keshab RaiKey Cast"Gopal Uncle "Maali""
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Jiten Tamang LamaKey Cast"Dr. Rabi"
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Nhyoo BajracharyaMusic Director
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Sushila PanditWriterWater World
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Noble FreaksBackground Score
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Rameshwor KarkiCinematographer
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Prabin ShresthaEditor/Colourist
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Sunita PanditLine Producer
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Binaya AdhikarySound Designing & Mastering
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Rimal ShreeFestival Producer
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Together for Human & Environment in NepalPresenter
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Nepal Film Development SocietyPromotor
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama
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Completion Date:February 20, 2020
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Production Budget:25,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Nepal
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Country of Filming:Nepal
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Language:Nepali
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Shooting Format:Digital, Red, 35mm
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Amsterdam Lift-Off Film FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
October 9, 2023
Netherland Premiere
Audience Choice Award -
The Rob-Knox London Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
July 8, 2023
Honourable Mention -
London Lift-Off Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
December 4, 2023
Official Selection -
Sydney and Melbourne Lift-Off Film FestivalSydney / Melbourne
Australia
November 20, 2023
Australian Premiere
Official Selection -
Paris Lift-Off Film FestivalParis
France
September 1, 2023
French Premiere
Official Selection -
Los Angeles Lift-Off Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
August 1, 2023
Los Angeles Premiere
Official Selection -
New York Lift-Off Film FestivalNew York
United States
July 5, 2023
New York Premiere
Official Selection -
Toronto Lift-Off Film FestivalToronto
Canada
June 5, 2023
Canadian Premiere
Official Selection -
Tokyo Lift-Off Film FestivalTokyo
Japan
May 1, 2023
Japanese Premiere
Official Selection -
Austin Lift-Off Film FestivalAustin
United States
April 14, 2023
North American Premiere
Official Selection -
Manchester Lift-Off Film FestivalManchester
United Kingdom
March 13, 2023
Official Selection -
Berlin Lift-Off Film FestivalBerlin
Germany
February 13, 2023
German Premiere
Official Selection -
White Deer International Film FestivalGloucester
United Kingdom
January 6, 2023
Annual WINNER - Best Message -
Aporia International village film festivalSeohwa-myeon
Korea, Republic of
December 25, 2022
Nominee Director -
Milton Keynes International Film FestivalMilton Keynes
United Kingdom
December 22, 2022
Best Editing (Other Language) -
Art Without Limit International Film FestivalPrishtina
Kosovo
December 2, 2022
Nominee- Best Story in the Film -
World Film Carnival - Singapore
Singapore
SouthEast Asia Premiere
Outstanding Achievement Award -
Children International Film FestivalParis & Dubai
Nominee- Best Lead Artist -
European Film Festival Integration You and MeKoszalin
Poland
September 7, 2022
Poland
Nominee Film -
Ramsgate International Film & TV FestivalEngland
United Kingdom
June 10, 2022
World Premiere
Special Outreach Award
Director DIPA BASNET -
Born in the city of flat land (Terai) in southern Nepal, Mrs. Basnet has always been an outstanding and creative student since childhood. Realizing her core interest at an early age she pursued BFS (Graduation on Film Studies) in 2011and Master’s degree in Culture Studies in 2016 from Tribhuvan University. At the age of 23, she had already started her career as a theatre artist and started exploring various aspects in this field which paid off when her debut directed movie “Antaral” won the national award for her as Best Director and grab other nepali awards as well - Best Debut Director establishing her as a prominent Film Maker (Director) of Nepal. “Antaral” was also awarded as Best Nepali Film Jury Award in 2013. Her films Antaral and Vandho were screened in Dhaka International Film Festival (2013) and Toronto Nepali Film Festival (2011) respectively. She has produced various TV programs like Comedy Hostel, Selfy Talk with Talking Tom and Chitrapat while working as Program Director in different media houses like Jibansathi Films and AD Crew Media.
Apart from the mainstream movie and media house, adding up to her prominence, she had also directed many other films, documentaries, dramas that talk about different issues like climate change, democracy and other social issues. She worked as Reporter/ Video editor in NEFEJ (Nepal Forum of Environment Journalist) and also affiliated to various foundations such as Film Directors Guild of Nepal, Laxmi Pratisthan Nepal and Together for Human and Environment in Nepal (THE-Nepal) as an Executive Member.
Director ANIL RIMAL -
With an immense enthusiasm in communicating the societal challenges and issues, Mr Rimal selected to work off track the mainstream media and established his name as a campaign oriented communicator in Nepal. In line with pursuing his dream of being a social advocate, after getting Master's degree in Media Technology in Nepal, he is now pursing LLB (Bachelor in Law) to sharpen his skills in policies and legislations for better advocacy and influencing. He wants to introduce himself as Film Maker & Ability Campaigner.
Mr. Rimal is from Nepal - A home to Himalayas & Terai Plane in South Asia and currently the resident of England, UK. Born and grew up with different social experience and obstacles since very young age, he eventually became a Media Practitioner and Story Teller who loves to reflect society through film and television. He started his media career as Radio Program Producer and had directed street dramas on social issues. His interest on social issues led him to work as communication focal person and Campaign Coordinator where he managed and coordinated media campaigns in national and international forum of Denmark, Thailand, South Africa, India, Bangladesh and Sweden since 2007. He is also a social motivator who has traveled to different communities and shared their voice to the world. Mr Rimal also served UNU (United Nation University) in Bonn, Germany in e-learning and knowledge management unit for Environment and Human Security Division. His passion for human security issues leads him to develop documentaries and radio/television program production for the same. He was also the founder of Together for Human and Environment in Nepal and works for human security related issues not only in country but globally. He had debuted as director from his home production movie “THE-Bonsai” which he had researched for more than 4 years and had developed the story and screenplay as well. Now he is working on the creation of second part for the same film “THE-Bonsai II” in UK.
Short fiction “THE-Bonsai” revolves around the psychological struggle of a 15-year-old girl “Ashma” within her society and their behavior which made her wondering the creation of Nature. Finally with a question of a girl that also silenced her mother the film here tried to show the comparison between human and natural elements around them and their struggle for existence. The film has been structured to organize very sensitive context of the specific community with a very innovative concept and creative story that has been engineered together to create a masterpiece. Thus, we are sure that this film helps the audience to prejudice the world of people with similar situations.
Shooting using cinematic filmmaking technique and design with multiple visual experiments, every frame is well crafted by the best production team in the town. The film is shot in Red Dragon with 5k full format visual quality with the use of high-end gears for stabilization like, 3-Axis Handheld Ronin-2. Also aerial visuals were included in some scenes through Dji - drone. The post work and final touchup was done by versatile editor in Nepali Industry Mr. Prabin Shrestha, who himself is suffering from spinal cord injury and is working from his wheelchair.
The talented Binisha Gurung debuted as the lead character “Ashma” who represents thousands of people suffering from psycho-social impacts within their society. Her artistry is supported by very popular and top ranked people in Nepalese Film Industry like actor Dayahang Rai who is well known lead actor even in diasporic community and is followed by some of Binisha’s real life friends. The movie has been intensified with the lyrical inserts by world class team of Mr. Durga lal Shrestha and Mr. Nhyoo Bajracharya.
The presenter organization of this film is a registered charitable foundation “Together for Human and Environment in Nepal (THE-Nepal)” and urges many similar organization and stakeholders to come in a common ground united in this issue. THE-Nepal also has some sustainability and funding idea to showcase this film further to global market in collaboration with different other platform.