Indian director Anurag Kashyap serves as govt producer on Deepak Rauniyar’s Pooja, Sir, with Channel 4 snapping up the movie UK and Eire distribution rights.
The movie premiered within the Horizon Competitors on the Venice Movie Competition earlier this yr, then screened in Hamburg and Busan, and can subsequent display on the MAMI Mumbai Movie Competition. It’s impressed by actual occasions that occurred throughout ethnic protests in southern Nepal in 2015, involving the Madhesi neighborhood. Within the movie, two boys are kidnapped in a border city in Nepal and Detective Inspector Pooja is distributed from Kathmandu to unravel the case. Upon arrival, nonetheless, brewing political unrest and violent protests derail her, forcing her to hunt assist from native Madhesi policewoman Mamata. By setting apart systemic discrimination and overcoming on a regular basis misogyny, these girls search to deal with this difficulty.
The forged is led by Asha Magrati and contains Nepali movie superstars Dayahang Rai, Nikita Chandak, Reecha Sharma, Bijay Baral, Gaumaya Gurung, Aarti Mandal, Ghanaashyam Mishra, Prameshwar Kumar Jha, Pashupati Rai and Niraj Shrestha.
The movie is produced by Rauniyar and Magrati of Aadi Movies, Ram Babu Gurung of Baasuri Movies and Alan R. Milligan of Tannhauser Gate. It additionally obtained a grant from the Norwegian Movie Institute Sofond.
The producers beforehand bought the movie to France’s ARP Sélection, Switzerland, Germany and Austria’s Trigon-film, and Nepal’s The Tea People Movies and Byankatesh Leisure. Channel 4 has acquired linear and on-demand rights for the UK, Eire, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Penny Black Media handles airline and in-flight distribution rights. Los Angeles-based The Movie Collaborative handles movie festivals and bookings all over the world.
A number of of Kashyap’s movies have screened on the Cannes Movie Competition, together with JFK (2023), Raman (2016), Ugly (2013), Bombay Talkies (2013) and Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). Moreover, a number of of his movies have additionally appeared on the Esplanade, together with Masaan (2015), The Lunchbox (2013), Monsoon Shootout (2013), Congress (2013) and Udaan (2010).
Launiar’s first characteristic movie, Autobahn, premiered on the 2012 Berlin Movie Competition and starred Locarno, whereas his second characteristic movie, White Solar, premiered in Venice, Palm Springs, Florida in 2016. It received awards on the Lee Fort and Singapore Movie Festivals. He’s additionally an alumnus of Berlinale Skills and his brief movie 4 Nights screened at Berlinale Shorts in 2022.
“For me, I’m very proud to be on board ‘Pooja, Sir’. Not solely is it a style movie that’s significant and related to me, however I imagine it would have an effect on Indian audiences as effectively,” Kashyap clarify. “I have been a fan of Deepak’s Day Day and have been ready to see what he’ll do subsequent. Deepak and Min [Bahadur Bham, director of Berlinale title “Shambhala”] are two thrilling voices from Nepal who’re the pioneers of the brand new Nepali cinema to return.
Penny Black Media’s Julieta Bowyer added: “Deepak Rauniyar’s Pooja, Sir takes a key historic occasion and transforms it right into a profound A narrative that’s each private and universally related. By specializing in the human impression of those occasions, the movie gives a wealthy narrative that may resonate with worldwide audiences.
Jeffrey Winter, co-executive director of The Movie Collaborative, stated: “We’re extraordinarily excited to be a part of the staff that may carry Pooja, Sir to movie festivals and audiences all over the world. As a posh narrative, it isn’t typically seen on display. Overlaid with clear and highly effective social justice and feminist themes in opposition to the backdrop of a world cinematic surroundings, this movie is completely aligned with our mission and the core the reason why we’re obsessed with movie.
The movie will likely be launched in Nepal on March 14, 2025 and will likely be launched on greater than 200 screens throughout the nation and will likely be collectively distributed by Tea People Movies and Byankatesh Leisure.
