Experiencing Interruptions?

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.

  • Dipa Basnet
    Director
    Antaraal, Shree panch Ambare, Bhando
  • Anil Rimal
    Director
    Water World
  • Sushila Pandit
    Executive Producer
    Water World
  • Bindu Tandon Aryal
    Producer
  • Binisha Gurung
    Key Cast
    "Aashma"
  • Daya Hang Rai
    Key Cast
    "Rakesh"
  • Pashupati Rai
    Key Cast
    "Taara"
  • Keshab Rai
    Key Cast
    "Gopal Uncle "Maali""
  • Jiten Tamang Lama
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Rabi"
  • Nhyoo Bajracharya
    Music Director
  • Sushila Pandit
    Writer
    Water World
  • Noble Freaks
    Background Score
  • Rameshwor Karki
    Cinematographer
  • Prabin Shrestha
    Editor/Colourist
  • Sunita Pandit
    Line Producer
  • Binaya Adhikary
    Sound Designing & Mastering
  • Rimal Shree
    Festival Producer
  • Together for Human & Environment in Nepal
    Presenter
  • Nepal Film Development Society
    Promotor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Completion Date:
    February 20, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Nepal
  • Country of Filming:
    Nepal
  • Language:
    Nepali
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Red, 35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    October 9, 2023
    Netherland Premiere
    Audience Choice Award
  • The Rob-Knox London Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    July 8, 2023
    Honourable Mention
  • London Lift-Off Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 4, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Sydney and Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival
    Sydney / Melbourne
    Australia
    November 20, 2023
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Paris Lift-Off Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    September 1, 2023
    French Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    August 1, 2023
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Official Selection
  • New York Lift-Off Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 5, 2023
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    June 5, 2023
    Canadian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    May 1, 2023
    Japanese Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Austin Lift-Off Film Festival
    Austin
    United States
    April 14, 2023
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    March 13, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    February 13, 2023
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
  • White Deer International Film Festival
    Gloucester
    United Kingdom
    January 6, 2023
    Annual WINNER - Best Message
  • Aporia International village film festival
    Seohwa-myeon
    Korea, Republic of
    December 25, 2022
    Nominee Director
  • Milton Keynes International Film Festival
    Milton Keynes
    United Kingdom
    December 22, 2022
    Best Editing (Other Language)
  • Art Without Limit International Film Festival
    Prishtina
    Kosovo
    December 2, 2022
    Nominee- Best Story in the Film
  • World Film Carnival - Singapore

    Singapore
    SouthEast Asia Premiere
    Outstanding Achievement Award
  • Children International Film Festival
    Paris & Dubai
    Nominee- Best Lead Artist
  • European Film Festival Integration You and Me
    Koszalin
    Poland
    September 7, 2022
    Poland
    Nominee Film
  • Ramsgate International Film & TV Festival
    England
    United Kingdom
    June 10, 2022
    World Premiere
    Special Outreach Award
Director Biography - Dipa Basnet, Anil Rimal

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.

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Director Statement

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.