By Renuka Dhakal
Kathmandu, Sept. 16: Director Sujit Bidari’s “Butterfly on the Windowpane” has been selected for the prestigious Busan International Film Festival under the New Currents Awards section in South Korea.
Busan unveiled this year’s lineup with a virtual press meet on Monday.
According to the public lineup, Butterfly on the Windowpane has been selected in the ‘New Current Section’ and the director will receive 30,000 USD. This is the highest value cash award in the BIFF.
Butterfly on the Windowpane is the first Nepali film to be selected in the main competition of the festival. The only other Nepali film selected in any competition in BIFF was “Goodbye Kathmandu” directed by Nabin Subba, which was selected for the Kim Jiseok Award, the second highest cash award with $10,000.
This is the 25th edition of Busan, which is considered as a prestigious award after Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. Due to the COVID -19 pandemic, the festival, which will be held virtually, will start on October 21 this year and end on October 30.
Director Bidari debuted as a feature film writer and director with ‘Butterfly on the Windowpane. Earlier, he has written and directed a 14- minute short film ‘Savitri’.
The film ‘Butterfly on the Windowpane’ is based on a 13-year-old village girl, Bidhya, who aspires to further her studies in the city and marks the obstacles she faces due to societal pressure, which shatters her dreams.
Bidari has compared the girl child’s educational dream with the struggle of a butterfly stuck in a windowpane. The butterfly stuck in the glass of a windowpane can see everything through the glass but cannot free itself in spite of applying all its strength. “The situation of our film’s protagonist is similar to that of the butterfly,” said Bidari.
He added that the childish relationship shared by Bidhya and her 9-year-old brother Basanta is a turning point in the film.
Seeing his elder sister’s dream being shattered, he makes efforts to help her and fulfill her dream, which drives the narrative of the film ahead.
“With the portrayal of this relationship, the film addresses and tries to change the patriarchal mentality of our society,” added Bidari.
The film was produced under the banner of Icefall Productions and Local Cinema spending Rs.12.5 million.
Siru Bista, Kanchan Chimariya, Dinesh Khatri, Raj Thapa, Bisha Chamling Rai, Umesh Shrestha and Mallika Shrestha have acted in the movie.