Nepal is back on its feet after 2015's devastating earthquake - and the mountain kingdom never looked more enticing than in this inspiring short film.
Created by the German airline Lufthansa, it follows New York-based Nepalese jewelry designer Arpana Rayamajhi on a trip back to her hometown and captures the vibrant colors, sounds, tastes and smells of Kathmandu. It's a far cry from the Big Apple.
Titled The Colours of Home, it's part of the carrier's “#inspiredby HEIMWEH” campaign, which aims to arouse wanderlust and explore the themes of “belonging and feeling at home”.
“Heimweh is a German term describing having a strong bond to a place,” explained a Lufthansa spokesman. “We wanted to explore what happens if people travel back to something or towards something, instead of [travelling] up and away from a place.”
Produced by Berlin-based agency neulandherzer, the film opens with a shot of mist and fog in a rural setting, against the backdrop of the Himalayas, before focusing on Rayamajhi standing in a bustling market.
The film follows her contemplative journey through the country, passing through Pokhara, Nepal’s second city, and remote parts of the region, as well as interacting with local women in outdoor markets.
One of the most picturesque scenes sees her walking on a path along a reflective pool offering dazzling views of the Himalayas and Mount Everest. It was shot at the village of Namche Bazaar in the Unesco-designated Sagarmatha National Park.
The first instalment, released last October, followed two Danish designers Kiyoshi and Satoru (the Inoue Brothers) as they travelled to their ancestral home in Japan.
Four more films will be released as part of the campaign; the destinations to be featured have not yet been confirmed.
“We’re looking at places as diverse and interesting as we can find to do the multi-faceted concept of Heimweh justice,” Alexander Schlaubitz, vice president of marketing at Lufthansa, told Telegraph Travel.
“It is not important whether the destination is a place that Lufthansa flies to. In fact, Kathmandu is not a destination the airline flies to directly. It is Arpana’s home and a part of her individual story that we wanted to tell,” he said.
Each episode from the series will be released exclusively on the airline’s social media channels, including on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBpxzYqGQJw
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