About the movie: This beautifully shot, contemplative film transports the viewer to the stunning countryside of Nepal. An inspiring story written and directed by Utah native Rick McFarland, and filmed almost entirely in Nepal, Highway to Dhampus follows the headmistress of a small orphanage in Nepal who is visited by a rich British socialite attempting to fix her public image through charitable acts. A providential chain of events is set in motion that affects everyone involved, and ultimately, each character discovers their own reasons to change for the better.
Website / Movie Trailer
My review: I was way excited to get to watch this movie before it's theatrical release this weekend. It really is an amazing movie. I really enjoyed it! The shots in Nepal were so beautiful, I really had no concept of what it would look like there. It was really amazing to me just how crowded the roads in the city were.
I really enjoyed the story line, it did take me just a minute at the beginning to be able to understand just what was going on, but when I did, I got sucked right into the story.
I thought that the characters were well done too, There is Colt, Elizabeth, Ajit, and Laxmi. I have to say that Colt kind of was abrasive. One minute he'd seem nice and the next he was kind of a jerk to almost everyone. I'm sure that's how his character was supposed to be, he's a photojournalist who's been stationed with the army. He gets a phone call to come and pretty much babysit Elizabeth in order to get her public image back to where her dad wants it to be. I loved the way that you could see Elizabeth's character change from the very beginning of the movie where she was so concerned about herself and no one else, to the end where she unselfishly gave her all. That part really had me in tears. I loved that she didn't let Colt get her down and continued to believe that she was doing something good, no matter what he said.
This movie will touch your heart and make you feel the desire to be a better person, I know that's what it did for me, make sure to go see it when it comes out this week!
I was able to watch this movie in exchange for an honest review.
About director Rick McFarland: Rick is a 20-year veteran of the film industry. He is the Owner and Director of Fiftyfilms, where he directs work for clients such as Intel, Verizon, BAE, Purina, and Microsoft among others. Rick produced and edited My Girlfriend's Boyfriend starring Alyssa Milano, Christopher Gorham, and Michael Landes in 2009. For the screenplay of his feature film, Highway to Dhampus, Rick took a research trip to Kathmandu in 2011. He found a country that was both absolutely foreign and strangely similar to his home state of Utah. Once the script was finished, casting and filming began in 2012. Highway to Dhampus was the first independent feature film shot entirely in Nepal by a foreign director and crew. It is also a deeply personal film for Rick, drawing much from his own experiences and transposing them into a Nepali setting.
Awards for Highway to Dhampus:
Best Dramatic Feature at the Heartland Film Festival
Best Feature Film and Best Lead Actress at the Madrid International Film Festival
Best World Showcase at the SoHo International Film Festival
Opening on October 9th in select Megaplex Theaters
Sandy Jordan Commons
Vineyard
St. George
See theater website for a list of times.
Labels: Highway to Dhampus, Movie review, Rick McFarland
