Sikkim filmmaker's debut film ‘Shape of Momo’ wins big at Busan International Film Festival

Sikkim-based filmmaker Tribeny Rai has struck gold at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) with her debut feature, Shape of Momo. The Nepali-language film bagged two major honours — the Taipei Film Commission Award and the Songwon Vision Award, marking a stellar international debut for Rai and her team.

Confirming the news on Instagram, the makers 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.”

Premiered in September at BIFF, Shape of Momo tells the story of Bishnu, a young woman who returns to her mountain village after quitting her job. What begins as a homecoming soon turns into an emotional tug-of-war as she faces family pressures, her pregnant sister’s arrival, and a new romantic connection — all while navigating the clash between tradition and independence.

Speaking to reporters, Rai said she wanted to avoid romanticising her native landscape. “People always want to romanticize places like ours, turn them into some beautiful backdrop for someone else’s story. I’ve never liked that,” she said.

Rai described the film as a reflection of a “quiet struggle” — the tension between home and elsewhere. “We leave the places that shaped us in search of opportunity, freedom and a better life, only to find ourselves belonging nowhere,” she told Variety.

Shape of Momo is directed by Tribeny Rai, produced by Geeta Rai and Kislay, and co-produced by Neha Malik, Himanshu Kohli, and Jung Woo Lee.

With two major wins at one of Asia’s biggest film festivals, Rai’s debut has put Sikkim’s independent cinema firmly on the global map.