OUT OF THE DARKNESS

Director: Stefano Levi
Producers: Werner Kubny, Stefano Levi & Per Schnell

2011 | 82 min
Nepal | Germany
Languages: Nepali, English
Subtitles: English, German

Nepalese surgeon Dr. Sanduk Ruit, his American colleague Dr. Geoff Tabin, and their team of local assistants hike with an entire hospital on porter’s backs to the very remote highlands of Nepal’s Northeast. For 25 USD and 5 min per operation, they restore sight to cataract blinded people in the most remote and inaccessible areas on Earth. This simple and inexpensive surgical procedure is not only life changing for those affected by cataract, but also influences the economic structure of these remote communities which are dependent on the well being of the family.

FESTIVALS & AWARDS
Special Jury Prize: ETHOS, SIMA 2013 (sponsored by Flemings)
Winner Jury Prize Best Mountain Film, Mountain Film Award, USA 2011
Winner Best Educational Film, Honolulu Film Awards, USA 2011
Winner Bronze Palm, Mexico Film Festival, Mexico 2011
Winner Outstanding Cinematic Creation, Vesak Buddhist Film Festival, Sri Lanka 2011
Winner Golden Ace Award, Las Vegas Film Festival, USA 2011
Winner Cinematography Excellence, Amsterdam Film Festival, USA 2011
Winner Best International Documentary, The Village Doc Film Festival, Milano Italy 2012
Winner “Miglior documentario di evasione”, The Village Doc Film Festival, Milano Italy 2012
Winner Special Jury Prize, Portugal Underground Film Festival, Portugal 2012
Nomination for Best Documentary, Tenerife Film Festival, UK 2011
Documentary Edge Film Festival, New Zealand 2011 European Independent Film Festival, France 2011
Riverside International Film Festival, USA 2011 Indie Spirit Film Festival, Colorado, USA 2011
Hills Film Festival, USA 2011
Silent River Film Festival, USA 2011
Film South Asia 2011, Nepal 2011
Radar Hamburg 2011, Germany 2011
27th Warsaw International Film Festival, Poland 2011
Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival, Nepal 2011
The International Mountain Film Festival Bankso, Bulgaria 2012
Mountain Film Festival Tegersee, Germany 2012