In the valley of Dhorpatan in western Nepal, winter arrives with unforgiving intensity. Clouds of freezing mist gradually descend, making the rocky terrain look starkly barren, a lonesome void amid vertiginous mountain ranges. At this time of the year, most of the inhabitants migrate south to warmer regions – except for two. Unfolding at a languid pace, Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s feature-length documentary debut casts its gaze on Ratima and Kalima, elderly caretakers tasked with watching over the abandoned village. Widows to the same man, they make for an unusual yet beguiling pair whose dynamic wavers between warmth and discord.
The two women’s different temperaments make for an engaging contrast. The older, jaded Ratima spends her days in a haze of alcohol and regrets. Meanwhile, younger Kalima has a sunnier attitude, which she extends to creatures big and small; she even has pet names for the livestock. Once the second wife and hence a romantic rival, Kalima now takes care of the ailing Ratima with sisterly tenderness. Their daily routines – simple meals by the fire, reminiscences about their departed husband – are juxtaposed with expansive wide shots of the desolate landscape.
There is much visual pleasure in the breathtaking cinematography, which observes the geographical contours of Dhorpatan in exquisite detail, from its frozen slumber to springtime awakening. Though the scenes are beautiful, the focus on the landscape at times distracts from a deeper exploration of Ratima and Kalima’s relationship; their interactions are riveting, yet they are too infrequent. As a result, the film occasionally veers into a nature documentary, without the beating emotional heart it shows elsewhere.
• No Winter Holidays is on True Story from 29 May.
