In the wake of her beloved grandfather’s death, Mariam (Ramesha Nawal) and her mother, Fariha (Bakhtawar Mazhar), can barely begin mourning before the human vultures swoop in, intent on wresting their family home from them. In turn, when Mariam’s secret romance with a fellow medical student (Omar Javaid) meets an untimely end, she’s plagued by malevolent forces that pursue her through the streets of Karachi, Pakistan. With every kindness coming with a garrote wire attached, Mariam and Fariha must rely on one another to survive.
Returning to his birthplace, writer-director Zarrar Kahn immerses us in an oppressive patriarchal society where misogyny runs rampant, leaving Mariam and Fariha under constant threat. But, in pitting them against these seemingly indomitable forces, he reveals their deep wells of resolve. As Kahn masterfully ratchets up the tension, we witness an initial struggle for agency become a captivating bid for empowerment.
From Pakistan, a Vivid Psychological Thriller That Tackles Grief, Ghosts and the Patriarchy
Hollywood Reporter
September 29 & October 1: Q&A with director Zarrar Kahn & crew
Presented by
Series Media Partner
Ramesha Nawal, Omar Javaid, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Mohammad Ali Hashmi
Canada/Pakistan
2022
Northern Lights
In Urdu with English subtitles
Sexual Discrimination
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Executive Producer
Shant Joshi, Todd Brown, Maxime Cottray
Producer
Anam Abbas, Hamza Bangash, Associate produced by Carol Ann Noronha
Screenwriter
Zarrar Kahn, Mohammad Ali Hashmi
Cinematography
Aigul Nurbulatova
Editor
Craig Scorgie, Zarrar Kahn
Production Design
Matti Malik
Original Music
Kalaisan Kalaichelvan
Director
Zarrar Kahn
Zarrar Kahn is an award-winning Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker whose film In Flames is the first South Asian Horror to premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Director’s Fortnight. He is an alumnus of the TIFF Talent Lab, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Open Doors Locarno, Asian Film Academy and Director’s Lab program at the Canadian Film Centre. His works have been screened and awarded in over 70+ film festivals worldwide, including TIFF, Locarno, and BFI London. Born in Karachi, and currently based out of Toronto, Kahn is committed to telling stories that amplify historically marginalized communities.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Turner & Constable
Filmed as a supplement to a blockbuster exhibition at Tate Britain happening right now, this doc in the popular Exhibition on Screen series allows us to view these competitive, complementary English landscape artists side by side.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Mixing documentary and reenactment, this film powerfully evokes the desperate attempts of the Red Crescent to rescue a six year old child trapped in a car under Israeli military fire. Oscar nominee: Best International Film
Victims of Sin
This movie is a hot scramble of piety and passion, sentimentality and sleaze. Ninón Sevilla plays Violeta, a rumba sensation who oversteps when she rescues a newborn from the trash. This gets her fired and wins the enmity of the pimp who fathered the kid.
Sensualidad
Prostitute Aurora (Cuban-born dance queen Ninón Sevilla) gets out of prison and exacts her vengeance by seducing the very married and respectable judge who put her behind bars (Fernando Soler). Eros makes a mockery of rectitude and righteousness.