In this special Industry Spotlight, a WAVES Film Bazaar 2025 feature, filmmaker Tribeny Rai joined Lohita Sujith, Sr. Director, Copyright & Digital Economy, Motion Picture Association to discuss her journey of her debut Nepali-language film The Shape of Momo. She explained that the story emerged from her desire to center communities from Sikkim, often sidelined in mainstream cinema, and to foreground women who remain pushed to the periphery both on-screen and in society. Making the film in Nepali, her first language, felt essential to creating the authentic representation she never saw growing up.

Rai spoke about the impact of early recognition, including awards at the several international film festivals,  noting how the visibility helped validate regional cinema. She described her experience at the WAVES Film Bazaar Work-in-Progress Lab as transformative, especially because mentors continued guiding the project long after the lab ended, shaping the film’s final edit.

At HAF Goes to Cannes, Rai focused on meeting programmers and sales agents who aligned with her vision. Despite the overwhelming market expectations, especially around genre-driven Asian cinema, the process helped her understand the global landscape and ultimately led to Celluloid Dreams handling the film’s international sales. Winning the Nube Studio Post-Production Award at the WAVES Film Bazaar Work-in-Progress Lab! was another turning point, with Rai emphasizing how unexpectedly invested and collaborative the studio was throughout post-production.

She also highlighted the challenges of entering an evolving festival market, where quieter films struggle for space, yet she stressed that every project can find its supporters. Rai underscored WAVES Film Bazaar’s vital role in empowering filmmakers from regions like Sikkim and the Northeast, where industries are still developing and rely on institutional support and exposure opportunities. Her final advice to emerging filmmakers was not to be overwhelmed, to research intentionally, trust instincts, and pursue connections that genuinely align with the project’s vision.