After the death of a respected family head in Karachi, a widow and her student daughter, Mariam, are exposed to the violence and abuse of a deleterious patriarchy that has not spared them in the past. They have to choose between facing up to their past or letting their fears carry them away.While the film could easily take the form of a societal drama, it adopts an entirely different tone, punctuated by horrific overtones. And its stance is all the more relevant given that it is sadly obvious that the condition of Pakistani women is akin to a real horror film.
« Ce drame psychologique aux accents horrifiques impressionne par l'assurance de son regard et la beauté de ses images. »
Anaïs Bordages www.slate.fr,
Directors' Fortnight 2023, 2023, af
Zarrar Kahn
Zarrar Kahn is an award-winning Pakistani-Canadian writer, director and producer. He has participated in the TIFF Talent Lab, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Locarno Open Doors, Asian Film Academy and the Canadian Film Centre’s Director’s Lab programme. His work has been screened and awarded at over 70 festivals worldwide, including TIFF, Locarno and the BFI in London. In Flames is his first feature film.