Tara - The Lost Star, a Nepali film from Sikkim, will be screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival on Monday.

The film directed by Gangtok-based Samten Bhutia, 49, is the first from Sikkim to feature at this international film festival being held from May 14 to May 25.

“The film was selected by the NFDC (National Film Development Corporation of India) for the Cannes festival. The market screening of the film will take place on May 20 at the le Palais theatre,” Bhutia told The Telegraph.

Bhutia was part of a team of 14 filmmakers from Northeast states who were sent to attend the Cannes Film Festival last year.

"I started working on this film as soon as I returned from Cannes last year,” said Bhutia who has so far directed seven films and shuttles between Kathmandu, Nepal and Gangtok.

The lead actor of the film, Shyama Shree Sherpa, was provided with an opportunity to attend the Cannes Film Festival this year.

“We will release the film once she returns,” said Bhutia.

The Nepali film, described as a “social drama”, has cast and crew from Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal.

Actors Shyama, Sushmita Bhujel and Nityam Bhattarai are from Sikkim, while Kiran Dahal and Loonibha Tuladhar are from Nepal. Deoraj Sherpa, a well-known actor from Darjeeling, is also part of the team. Sikkim's Prasant Rasaily and Pramod Karki have done the background score and cinematography, respectively,” said Sherpa.

The film, produced by Sabitri Chettri was completed in about seven months been extensively shot at Gnathang-Memenchu near Changu Lake in Sikkim. “We have shot in a place which is relatively unknown to tourists,” said Sherpa.

Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) took to social media to congratulate the Tara team, calling the film "a remarkable achievement for Sikkim as it makes its debut at the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival 2024" and lauded the recognition of regional cinema on the global stage.