“The Red Suitcase”, Interview with the director Fidel Devkota

Fred Film Radio recently interviewed Fidel Devkota about his latest film, “The Red Suitcase”, featured in the Orizzonti section of the 80th Venice Film Festival.

In the scenic landscape of the 2023 80th Venice Film Festival, Fidel Devkota‘s “The Red Suitcase” unfolds a narrative that interweaves elements of Nepalese folklore and the economic challenges faced by the region. The film, written and directed by Fidel Devkota and produced by Ram Krishna Pokharel and Shova Thapa for Icefall Productions, in collaboration with Film Council Productions and Cine Sankipa, boasts a talented cast including Saugat Malla, Prabin Khatiwada, Bipin Karki, Shristhi Shrestha, Sonam Lama, and Anju Deuja.

About the film “The Red Suitcase”

At its core, “The Red Suitcase” tells a minimalist story: a man driving a pickup truck embarks on a journey to make a remote mountainous delivery. Along the way, he encounters another solitary man, dragging a red suitcase behind him.

The film delves into the sentiments of Nepal’s youth, set against the backdrop of a significant economic crisis that has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the region. Despite these challenges, “The Red Suitcase” doesn’t shy away from drawing upon Nepal’s rich mythology and legends. Fidel Devkota‘s intention was to create a cinematic work that could seamlessly blend the local anthropological characteristics with the art of storytelling.

The director himself reveals that he incorporated numerous elements from local traditions, such as incense and road-side mirrors believed to appease deities. “We sought surreal landscapes that conveyed melancholy, mirroring the solitude of our protagonists. We utilized elements of classical cinematography, heavily influenced by the works of masters like Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, and Hou Hsiao-hsien” explains Fidel Devkota.

About Fidel Devkota

Fidel Devkota is a Nepalese director and screenwriter who made his debut in 2014 with a short film titled “The Last Yak Herder of Dhe” , for which he also penned the screenplay. In 2016, he directed the medium-length documentary “Wind of Change in Lo Mustang” focusing on the impact of climate change on one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems, the Himalayan region of Nepal, particularly zooming in on the Mustang region.

This intriguing blend of cultural elements and contemporary challenges makes “The Red Suitcase” a film worth exploring, and Fidel Devkota‘s vision and dedication to his craft shine through in this cinematic endeavor.

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