“Secret of a Mountain Serpent” has secured international sales representation with boutique outfit The Open Reel ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Directed by Indian filmmaker Nidhi Saxena (“Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman”) and produced by Sri Lankan filmmaker and Cannes Caméra d’Or winner Vimukthi Jayasundara, “Secret of a Mountain Serpent” features an ensemble cast led by Adil Hussain, alongside Trimala Adhikari, Pushpendra Singh, and Richa Meena.
The film explores the lives of women left behind in a remote hill town during the aftermath of war, drawing from an ancient local legend about a snake deity waiting for a promised bride. The story centers on Barkha (Adhikari), a teacher whose husband is away fighting in the Kargil War. Her life becomes disrupted by the arrival of mysterious stranger Manik Guho (Hussain).
Adding industry weight to the project, acclaimed actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are attached as executive producers through their banner Pushing Buttons Studios, fresh off their Sundance success with “Girls Will Be Girls.”
To coincide with the sales agent news, the filmmakers have released an exclusive clip from the drama. The sequence showcases the film’s atmospheric approach to its central setting — a Himalayan town in the 1990s where myth, longing, and solitude intermingle. The clip provides a first look at the film’s meditative storytelling style and emotional undercurrents.
“Secret of a Mountain Serpent” was developed within the Biennale College-Cinema program with support from a La Biennale di Venezia grant.
The 82nd edition of Venice, which opens with Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia,” will run Aug. 27-Sept. 6.
Watch the clip here:
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Source: Variety, Naman Ramachandran
https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/venice-secret-of-a-mountain-serpent-open-reel-1236494817/