Venice Title ‘Pooja, Sir’ Unveils First Sales, Teaser (EXCLUSIVE)

Deepak Rauniyar’s film “Pooja, Sir,” which is part of this year’s Horizons strand competition at the Venice Film Festival, has announced several territory sales and released its first teaser.

The film draws inspiration from real events during the 2015 race protests in Southern Nepal involving the Madhesi community. The story kicks off when two boys are kidnapped in a border town in Nepal. Detective Inspector Pooja is sent from Kathmandu to investigate, but upon her arrival, she is met with political unrest and violent protests. This forces her to seek assistance from Mamata, a local Madhesi policewoman. Together, they navigate systemic discrimination and everyday misogyny to solve the case.

The cast features Asha Magrati along with Nepali cinema superstar Dayahang Rai, Nikita Chandak, Reecha Sharma, Bijay Baral, Gaumaya Gurung, Aarti Mandal, Ghanashyam Mishra, Prameshwar Kumar Jha, Pashupati Rai, and Niraj Shrestha.

The production team includes Rauniyar and Magrati for Aadi Films, Ram Babu Gurung for Baasuri Films, and Alan R. Milligan for Tannhauser Gate. The film has also garnered funding from the Norwegian Film Institute’s Sorfond.

The film has been sold to ARP Sélection for France, Trigon-film for Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, and The Tea Folks Films and Byankatesh Entertainment for Nepal.

Michèle Halberstadt of ARP expressed excitement for the film, stating that “‘Pooja, Sir’ is a film that takes us right to the heart of its intrigues, culture, and landscapes. In that respect, it is unexpected and fascinating. We are delighted to present it to audiences in France.”

Deepak Rauniyar’s previous works include his debut feature “Highway,” which premiered at the 2012 Berlinale and played at Locarno. His second feature “White Sun” in 2016 won awards at the Venice, Palm Springs, Fribourg, and Singapore festivals. Rauniyar is also a Berlinale Talents alumnus, and his short film “Four Nights” was featured at Berlinale Shorts in 2022.

Meret Ruggle of Trigon-film highlighted Rauniyar’s ability to root his stories in the social realities of his home country. “Once again, Deepak Rauniyar crafts a story rooted in the social realities of his home country, this time through the lens of the crime genre, depicting discrimination on various layers. We believe that with its compelling narrative and the outstanding performance of Asha Magrati, this film will be one of the standout gems in this year’s Venice selection.”

Watch the teaser here:

Source: Variety, Particle News