A Road to a Village

The lives of a family of three in a mountainous village in eastern Nepal are changed - and not for the better - by the arrival of a new road and the resulting consumerism creeping along it. Released in 2023 this Nepali feature film drama from Nabin Subba is colourful and pleasant to look at as well as having enough incident (some comical) courtesy of Mahesh Rai and Subba's screenplay to keep boredom (mostly) at bay. A film about the effects of capitalism on a culture - when the young son gets a bottle of cola and feeds it to his friends it looks like they're taking communion - and, like so many films we see from the 'developing world' (which cinematically rarely gets a look-in), the theme of the strain between tradition and so called modernity. And then there's the symbolic bus - a route away from a way of life. The poster for the film is amusing - if you know what they're doing in it. So that's what they think of the road.

"A Road to a Village" (Nepali: Gaun Aayeko Bato) is a 2023 Nepalese drama directed by Nabin Subba. The film follows Maila, a basket weaver, his wife Maile, and their seven-year-old son Bindray, who lead a simple life in a mountainous village in eastern Nepal. The construction of a new road connecting their village to the city introduces modern amenities, challenging their traditional lifestyle and values.

The film has been well-received by critics. Alex Heeney of Seventh Row praised it as an "affecting, humanist drama," highlighting its immersive portrayal of a unique cultural setting. Kalpa Jyoti Bhuyan from High On Films described it as a "Portrait of Rural Life in Transition and the Human Cost of Modernization," emphasizing its emotional depth and intellectual engagement with global concerns about cultures and identities at risk.

The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and was also screened at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in the "A Window on Asian Cinema" strand.

For a visual review, you might find this video insightful:

I had the privilege of seeing this movie at the Angelika in NYC and it is a story that will stay with me a long time.

First and foremost even if you have no idea about this part of the world, it is an excellently made movie with heart; likable characters, wonderful cinematography and themes that are universal like the desire to provide for your family, masculine expectations and changing society. The story of this family and the journey you take with them has the ability to capture hearts across borders.

Personally, as someone who happens to be from that part of the world and have had such lived experiences, this movie was profoundly cathartic. I found myself laughing and crying and crying even more.

This is a deeply personal for many indigenous people like me and it is time stories like these are told. Be it educational, be it entertainment however you see it, when you leave the cinema you feel a deep sense of privilege and honor to watch Maila's journey!

Kudos to the Team!

How a development brings inequity if it is not seen in a holistic way? Oxfam claims around 100 people control more than 50% of the wealth ! So is economic redistribution is just a myth ? It's a perfect movie to watch out for where Nabin Subba has prepared each scenes delicately. The father son bonding is a treat to watch . So much so that your eyes will be moist at the end of the movie . The downside of modernization if not adapted properly is shown in such a nice way .

After Numafung he has produced a gem. Dayahang shines and someone please give a salute to the kid. It's heartening to see the Nepali movie industry taking baby steps in quality cinema. That's the way to grow.

A newly built road is a blessing and curse for the inhabitants of a remote mountain village. All at once their dreams are satisfied and their troubles begin. Creative, independent, and seven-year-old Bindray once made toys from plants and discarded socks, but now desires soda, sunglasses, and most of all a television. The set is a few months' salary for his parents who are already unable to pay the electric bill and who piece together a meager living from selling bamboo mats. Dad heads to the city and mom sells her simple yet highly treasured jewelry to try to satisfy their suddenly unruly boy.

A Road to a Village is strikingly realistic without being raw and graphic. It contains a surprising twist that is not typical for such films. While it is distressing to see the parents pushed into a life over which they have little control, the matter of marginalized people being left behind in the developing world is an urgent matter for the world's attention.

"Change is essential for the survival of the village," said director Nabin Subba who was present at this world premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Yet change seems impossible to the characters in the film. "I'm of no use to anyone now," says the dejected dad when villagers favor plastic to his hand-woven goods. In his desperation he searches for a way forward. The film honors those who stay and follow traditional lifestyles, for they typically don't get their share of development money when it comes to the countryside.