The Nepali short film ‘Chumpa: A Doll Under the Basket’ is set to have its world premiere at the 31st Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. The film has been officially selected for the ‘Wide Angle Section’ under Busan’s Asian Short Competition.

Written and directed by Rajesh Prasad Khatri, the film focuses on the persistent issue of child marriage in remote rural Nepal and its impact on the education and freedom of young girls. The story centers on 14-year-old Muna, an eighth-grade student with dreams of completing her education and living independently. Pressured by traditional family and community expectations to marry, she seeks refuge at her teacher’s house on her wedding day to save her education, only to be dragged back by villagers.

Shot in the Khas language in northwestern Nepal, the 20-minute film portrays child marriage, social pressures on women, and gender discrimination through a sensitive and symbolic lens. Utilizing natural lighting, real locations, and minimal equipment for a realistic feel, the film uses a traditional doll named ‘Chumpa’ as a symbol of lost voices and female resistance. The cast features Kabita Budha as Muna, alongside Binita Thapa Magar, Mira Khadka, and Dipesh Malla.

Director Khatri, a self-taught primary school teacher, previously won the Best Film award in the Generation Kplus section at the 2018 Berlinale International Film Festival for his short film ‘A Curious Girl’, while his second film, ‘A Scarecrow’, premiered at Busan. ‘Chumpa’ is a collaborative production between Picture Frame and Flicker Arts Entertainment, produced by Kedar Bhusal, with Dinesh Raut as creative producer and Ramlal Khadka as executive producer.

By highlighting child marriage, women’s rights, and rural realities, ‘Chumpa: A Doll Under the Basket’ aims to bring marginalized voices from rural Nepali society to a global audience on an international stage.