Highway to Dhampus (2014)

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Love the cinematography, love the music, love the story, and the beautiful Nepali people! What a beautifully shot film that took me on a journey of love, charity, change, and kindness! If you like independent films, watch this one! I've already watched it 5 times. :) I still can't get over the cinematography!

Highway to Dhampus is a movie that isn't just watched; it's experienced. It's a story about human connection that defies what we think we know, and explores what it takes to forgive others and, more importantly, ourselves. With the striking countryside of Nepal as the backdrop, the beautiful cinematography only deepens the connection you feel to the characters, story, and the culture that slowly unfold as the movies plays on. The pace is perfect, and the story is one that will stay with you like an impressionable experience of your own.Highway to Dhampus is able to capture the perfect imperfections of life and relationships: The beauty that can come from tragedy, and that sometimes our biggest enemy is our own defensiveness. The scenery not only captures your attention, it takes a role in the narrative by reflecting the story. Just like the countryside of Nepal, even in its poverty, it seems that in the nooks and crannies of the unfairness of life, it's possible that beauty not only outweighs the unsightly, but its flaws may even contribute to the richness of its beauty.

"Highway to Dhampus" is an inspiring film. "Highway to Dhampus" is a beautifully shot film that truly belongs on the big screen. The cinematography is breath-taking, and it makes you feel as if you are in Nepal watching this story unfold before your very eyes. All of the powerful cast members gave noteworthy spectacular performances, but Nepal itself stole the show with a breathtaking performance. A powerful performance made even more moving with the resent devastation cause by the Nepal earthquakes. This film takes you on a journey of a beautiful country that all should experience. A beautifully written, directed, and shot film crafted together by Rick McFarland.

I really enjoyed this small, quiet film about life in rural Nepal. It's beautifully shot and has a great Nepali cast. It's very much a character study with Nepal itself being one of the biggest characters. The film does a great job of giving you more than a passing tourist's view of Nepal, but you don't need a deep understanding of Hindu culture to appreciate it. I liked that it asked hard questions about the real value of charity and service work, hard questions the film didn't offer an easy answer for, and it wasn't just a post-colonial "white guilt" film.A few of the characters start off as thin caricatures, but as the film progresses, most of these characters grow along with the film. I was especially drawn to Ajit, the Nepali pilot who connects all these disparate characters, but also old Nepal and modern Nepal. The film really wants to make a stark contrast between Elizabeth, the spoiled heiress doing obligatory charity work, and Laxmi, the simple villager who runs the local orphanage, but I think the best contrast comes in the form of Ajit's personal struggle as he transitions from being a proud pilot to much more humble circumstances.