Snow Flowers, the first film from Nepal to depict a same-sex relationship, has completed filming and is due to be released in early 2012. AFP’s bureau chief in Kathmandu, Frankie Taggart, recently spoke with the film’s director and lead actors.

The below excerpt is reproduced with Frankie’s kind permission.

Kiran wanders aimlessly, oblivious to the traffic and wiping tears from her bloodshot eyes as struggles to take in the devastating news that the love of her life is about to marry someone else.

The poignant vignette is not real life but one of the final scenes to be filmed in a new love story due to hit cinema screens in Nepal next year. But this is no ordinary melodrama, for the object of Kiran’s desire is a woman.

The affair plays out in Snow Flowers, a breakthrough lesbian love story already being dubbed “Brokeback Everest” and set to be the first feature film to deal with the taboo subject of gay relationships in the 60-year history of Nepalese cinema.

With filming having wrapped on schedule in Kathmandu ahead of the international festivals circuit and a general release in spring, the only question is whether the public in the deeply-religious nation will be ready.

The movie, directed by Paris-based film-maker Subarna Thapa, stars two of Nepal’s leading actresses, Dia Maskey and Nisha Adhikari, in a story of two women tormented by their feelings for one another.

“It’s two individuals falling in love and facing all the controversy and restrictions, and mental, emotional and physical traumas of being a lesbian in Nepal,” Adhikari said.

“It’s a simple love story with a lot of complications.”

• Continue reading at Frankie Taggart’s blog, here.

• A version of this article was first published by AFP on November 16, 2011 and can be found here.