Sikkimese filmmaker Tribeny Rai’s debut feature Shape of Momo was among five Asian films-in-progress showcased at the prestigious “HAF Goes to Cannes” segment of the 2025 Marché du Film, the official film market of the Cannes Film Festival. The Nepali-language film from East Sikkim was pitched to an international audience comprising distributors, sales agents, and festival programmers. Rai, along with producer Kislay and lead actor Gaumaya Gurung, unveiled the film’s official poster at the Bharat Pavilion.
Curated by the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the initiative provides a global platform for emerging Asian filmmakers. The selected teams each presented a 10-minute excerpt of their films to international stakeholders.“This is the biggest film market in the world, and while it was challenging to pitch something so different from mainstream Indian cinema, it was also what made Shape of Momo stand out,” Rai said.
Set in Rai’s hometown of Nandok, the film explores a woman’s resistance to patriarchal norms, rooted in Sikkim’s culture and landscape. Rai expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and MP Indra Hang Subba for supporting her Cannes journey.