Shambhala

Shambhala (2024) is a drama by Nepali director Min Bahadur Bham, and you can watch it online on iFILM. It unfolds in a remote Himalayan village where polyandry still holds: young Pema marries several brothers at once.

Pregnant and newly wed, Pema is finding her footing when her first husband, Tashi, vanishes on the trade route to Lhasa. She sets out to find him alongside her second husband, the monk Karma, crossing brutal high-altitude passes on foot. The search slowly turns inward, becoming a quiet reckoning with faith, desire and who she wants to be. Thinley Lhamo leads the cast, with Sonam Topden and Tenzing Dalha beside her.

The film was the first Nepali title selected for the main Berlinale competition and served as the country's Oscar submission. Shot at staggering elevation with an almost documentary patience, it rewards viewers who like slow, contemplative arthouse cinema over plot machinery. Stream Shambhala (2024) online on iFILM.