‘Shape of Momo’ by Sikkim filmmaker Tribeny Rai bags two awards at Busan Film Festival

Filmmaker Tribeny Rai from Sikkim is celebrating a dream debut on the world stage. Her first feature film, ‘Shape of Momo’, has won two major awards at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival.

The film bagged the Taipei Film Commission Award as well as the Songwon Vision Award, both highly regarded honors at the festival. Sharing the news on Instagram, the film’s team wrote, “We are over the moon to inform you that our film Shape of Momo has won two awards @busanfilmfest. We just want to take this opportunity to thank the entire cast and crew for bringing this story to life. Certainly, awards add credibility, but with or without them, we would still be the same bunch of filmmakers, searching and persevering.”

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‘Shape of Momo’ had its world premiere in September at the festival, where it immediately caught attention for its fresh storytelling and deep emotional pull. The film is in Nepali language and tells the story of Bishnu, a young woman who returns to her mountain village after quitting her job in the city.

 

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But homecoming is not simple. Bishnu finds herself pulled in different directions; by her family’s expectations, her pregnant sister’s arrival, and her own growing connection with a boy in the village. At its heart, the film shows her inner struggle: whether to stay bound by tradition or to step into the independence she longs for.

Tribeny Rai explained in an interview with ‘Variety’ that she wanted to avoid turning the mountains into just a “beautiful backdrop” for a story. “People always want to romanticize places like ours. I’ve never liked that,” she said. Instead, she chose to focus on the everyday struggles and quiet emotions of the people who live there.

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For Rai, the film is also very personal. Speaking about her inspiration, she said, “We leave the places that shaped us in search of opportunity, freedom and a better life, only to find ourselves belonging nowhere. I am still caught in that in-between space, unable to decide whether to stay in my village or surrender to the city.”

The film is produced by Geeta Rai and Kislay, with co-producers Neha Malik, Himanshu Kohli, and Jung Woo Lee. Together, the team has brought a simple yet powerful story from the Himalayas to an international platform.