Pooja, Sir
2024 • 1h 49m • Thriller
Availability
Virtual
Available until Dec 31, 2026
Available Worldwide except FR, DE, CH, AT
Flex Virtual
Available until Dec 31, 2026
Available Worldwide except FR, DE, CH, AT
In-person
Available until Dec 31, 2026
Available Worldwide except FR, DE, CH, AT
Language
Nepali
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About the film
The investigation into two kidnapped boys becomes increasingly personal for the detective assigned to the case in “Pooja, Sir”, a spare, affecting thriller. Inspired by the protests orchestrated in 2015 in Nepal by disenfranchised ethnic minority community the Madhesi, director Deepak Rauniyar has crafted a film powered by a sense of outrage and sorrow at a nation riven by sexism and bigotry. The story’s inherently emotional underpinnings are made more overt by the casting of Rauniyar’s wife – actress, producer, co-writer and frequent collaborator Asha Magrati – who plays the resolute cop determined to find these missing children, even as she navigates a society disinclined to help her.
Tim Grierson, Screen International
Director
Deepak Rauniyar
Writer
Asha Magrati, David Barker, Deepak Rauniyar
Producer
Ram Babu Gurung, Alan R. Milligan, Niraj Shrestha, +1 more
Executive Producer
Anurag Kashyap, Purna Sing Baraili, Joslyn Barnes, +3 more
Crew
J. Him Lee, Sheldon Chau, Vivek Maddala, +4 more
Awards & recognition
Venice Film Festival
Nominee: Queer Lion Award
Roze Filmdagen Amsterdam
Hivos Prize - Best Film
FilmOut San Diego, US
Winner – Best Actress
Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF)
Winner – Best International Feature Film
South Asian Film Festival of Montréal
Winner - Jury Award - Best Fiction Feature
Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)
Official Selection
GÖTEBORG FILM FESTIVAL
Official Selection
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
Official Selection
TALLINN BLACK NIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
Screen International Critics' Choice
FRIBOURG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Official Selection
FRAMELINE: SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ FILM FESTIVAL
Official Selection
THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL
Official Selection
MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL
South Asia Competition
Indie Meme film festival
Centerpiece
Dharamshala International Film Festival
Closing Film
What people are saying
““More than just a story; it’s a meditation on the complexities of identity and the repressive influences that define human existence.””
Naser Nahandian
““A bold women’s ensemble elevates Deepak Rauniyar’s socio-political film to greater heights, like a shooting star sparkling with amazement.””
Niikhiil Akhiil
““Forget momos and Mount Everest: this is your mini crash course on the Nepal of today.””
Olivia Popp
“"in the tradition of great detective films"”
TIM GRIERSON
““A vital social drama in the body of a crime thriller.””
SIDDHANT ADLAKHA
““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.””
Michèle Halberstadt of ARP.
“"Rauniyar’s film has moments of pure art, motivated by an undaunted spirit, and bolstered by the filmmaker’s own humanity."”
Sophia L. Pandé
“"is the kind of movie I’d watch twice in a theatre—not just to enjoy the cinema but also to study its visual artistry."”
Sanskriti Pokharel
Gallery
