The Pakistani film industry is basking in the glory of international recognition as two standout movies, Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli and Zarrar Kahn’s In Flames have garnered praise and prestigious awards.
Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli, starring Saba Qamar, Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha and Hamza Khawaja achieved three prestigious awards at the Minsk International Film Festival.
The Cheekh actress won the Best Actor Award, Sarmad Khoosat earned the Best Director Award, and the film received the Viewers’ Choice accolade at the renowned Listapad festival, the largest film festival in Belarus.
Khoosat, no stranger to international recognition, previously faced challenges with his 2019 film Zindagi Tamasha, Pakistan’s official submission to the 93rd Oscars in the Best International Film category. Despite global acclaim, the film encountered local controversies, leading Khoosat to release it on online platforms like YouTube and Vimeo on August 4, 2023.
Another celebration across the border is for In Flames bagging the International Newcomer Award at the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg (IFFMH). The Jury, including Elisa Schlott, Denis Dercourt, and Goran Stolevski, praised the film, stating, “Our award goes to a filmmaker who manages to shift and play with genre while maintaining a connection both to his audience as well as his protagonist throughout the film. The main character is a young woman who is allowed to be both brave and fragile, and she is brought to life through a wonderful debut performance that complements the mise-en-scene. The winner is In Flames.”
Kahn expressed his gratitude on his Instagram post, saying, “I still can’t believe we won. Thank you to all the incredible ppl who believed in our film.”
Notably, In Flames — featuring Bakhtawar Mazhar, Ramesha Nawal, Adnan Shah Tipu and Omar Javaid among others — marks Pakistan’s triumphant return to the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and stood as a nominee at the Toronto International Film Festival. The horror film is now gearing up to represent Pakistan in the international feature Oscar race.
It’s truly exhilarating to witness Pakistani movies and artists receive well-deserved international acclaim. The journey of Kamli and In Flames showcases the growing impact of Pakistani storytelling on the global stage.
