Official Selection

International Shorts

The Other Side of the coin

00:29:09|Finland, Nepal

Director:

Sanjay Shrestha

Country:

Finland, Nepal

Film Duration:

00:29:09

Language:

Nepali

Producer:

Rozi Shrestha, Suyog Shrestha

Screenwriter:

Sanjay Shrestha

Cast:

Arjun Neupane, Sandesh Shakya, Rishikesh Basyal

Synopsis

The Other Side of the Coin is an intimate portrait of three migrant workers—Man Bahadur, Madan, and Durge—sharing a cramped semi-basement apartment far from home. By day, they endure the relentless rhythm of a restaurant kitchen; by night, their thoughts return to the families they left behind and the dreams they struggle to hold onto. Their stories unfold within a larger history of migration, shaped by the unequal ranking of the world. One man remembers his grandfather’s journey abroad, he himself now works in the West, while his friend departs for the Gulf to build stadiums—only to never return. These parallel paths reveal how people from poorer nations bear the weight of global hierarchies, giving their labor to distant places while carrying the unseen costs of distance, loss, and longing. Both deeply personal and quietly political, the film reflects on what is left behind—and what is carried forward—when life is lived between worlds.

Director's Statement

The Other Side of the Coin portrait of three Nepali migrant workers sharing a cramped semi-basement far from home. Their days unfold in a restaurant kitchen; their nights drift toward families left behind. Tracing journeys from the West to the Gulf, the film reflects on global inequality and the unseen cost of living between worlds.

Sanjay Director

Sanjay Shrestha

Director

Sanjay Shrestha (b. 1993, Nepal) is a Helsinki-based screenwriter, filmmaker, and theatre artist. With hands-on experience in both film and stage, his work explores migration, identity, and human resilience. Sanjay has directed two short films, participated in five theatre productions in various creative capacities, and worked as a freelance video creator. He is currently studying theatre at Espoo Arbis and has been active in the field of FilmMaking and Theatre since 2019.

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