Home Before Night

By Pickle November 24, 2024

Australia, Nepal | English, Nepali | Drama, Others

Synopsis

Home Before Night explores the intertwined lives of two displaced women across two continents. Chanda, a 26-year-old Nepali aged-care worker in Australia, is on the brink of securing Permanent Residency when her mother falls ill in Nepal. She must choose between staying to secure her future or returning home.Meanwhile, Orana, a 41-year-old Australian with Nepali heritage battling with stage-four cancer, defies medical advice to travel to Nepal to find her estranged father. She arrives at Kathmandu airport with a tattered photo of him from when she was 3 years old, the last time she saw him.

The two lives entwine when Chanda unknowingly participates in a memory-donation program, designed to comfort homesick migrants, where she starts experiencing Orana’s memories of Nepal. Triggered by a health flareup, Orana rests in a homestay run by Chanda’s family, who offer her a glimpse into the life she could have had – memories Chanda experiences back in Australia. One day, Chanda discovers Orana’s father, living in Sydney all along. Recognising him from Orana’s memories, she attempts to reunite him with Orana, only to learn that Orana passed away two years ago, learning that the memories she experienced were echoes of the past, left to help others find closure.

Kalani Gacon
Director
contact@kalanigacon.com

Director(s) Statement

Home Before Night is a film reflecting my own experience of living between Australia and Nepal, feeling a sense of not fully belonging to either culture. The story explores this feeling of being caught between cultures, memories, and homes through the intertwined lives of Chanda and Orana. Blending realism with a touch of science fiction, it introduces a memory donation program to examine how we connect with our past and understand our present. Resonating deeply with Nepalese, where many have relatives abroad, the film captures the longing and ties to distant places. The film is a tribute to those living between worlds, navigating multiple identities, and striving to find peace with where they come from and where they’re going.

Budget
USD 1, 400, 000

Financing in place
USD 350, 000

Production Company
SGT Productions, indiVisual films – International

Looking for
Co-Producers, Financers, Sales/Sales Agents, Distribution Partners, Film Lab/Workshop/Fund, Film Festivals/Programmers