Kathmandu - A powerful documentary about snow leopard conservation, female mentorship, and the breathtaking wilderness of Dolpa has made its Nepal premiere, arriving with serious global credentials behind it.
Snow Leopard Sisters held its Nepal premiere on Wednesday evening at Labim Mall in Lalitpur, drawing a strong turnout of both Nepali and international viewers. The screening was a fitting homecoming for a film that is as deeply rooted in Nepal's landscape and communities as it is internationally celebrated.
A Story of Two Women and a Rare Predator
At the heart of the documentary is an unlikely but deeply moving friendship between two indigenous women from Dolpa: veteran local snow leopard conservationist Chiring Lhamu Lama and her 17-year-old protégée Tenzin Bhuti Gurung. Together, they traverse the dangerous and stunningly beautiful Himalayan terrain in search of one of the world's rarest and most elusive big cats, the endangered snow leopard.
The film does more than document wildlife. It illuminates the power of women's voices in conservation, showing how local knowledge, intergenerational mentorship, and fierce dedication can drive real change in some of the world's most remote ecosystems. It has also directly inspired on-the-ground efforts to increase snow leopard populations in Dolpa and bring an end to retaliatory killings of snow leopards by local herders whose livestock are threatened.
How the Film Came Together Across Three Continents
The documentary began as a deeply personal project. Sonam Choyki Lama, a Nepali photographer, started documenting her elder sister Chiring Lhamu Lama's conservation work in their remote homeland, and what began as a photographic record evolved into her first full documentary film. International award-winning filmmakers Ben Ayres and Andrew Lynch subsequently joined the project, forming a collaborative team spanning three continents.
The film is directed by Sonam Choyki Lama, Ben Ayres, and Andrew Lynch, with story by Ben Ayres and Andrew Lynch. It is produced by Ian Davis, Torkil Jones, Joanna Natasegara, and Chiring Lhamu Lama, with cinematography by Sonam Choyki Lama, Andrew Lynch, and Rush Sturgess, and editing by Katie Brier.
Global Star Power Behind the Camera
The documentary carries two remarkable names as executive producers: Oscar-winning director Joanna Natasegara and acclaimed Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a long-time environmental activist whose involvement signals just how significant this film's conservation message is considered on the world stage.
Snow Leopard Sisters has already won awards at more than a dozen international film festivals, making its Nepal premiere a landmark moment for the country's documentary filmmaking community and conservation advocates alike.
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