Globally Praised Pakistani-Canadian movie ‘In Flames’ scheduled for release in Karachi on October 20

In Flames, a film written and directed by the accomplished Pakistani director Kahn, seeks to examine the effects of residing in a rigidly patriarchal society. It aims to shed light on the complicated nature of adolescent love in Pakistan as well as the psychological effects of tyranny.

The goal of In Flames is to completely engross you in Karachi’s arid beauty while exposing you to the terrible decisions that must be made in order to live another day. It presents a compelling tale that center’s on the challenges a mother and daughter endure after the untimely death of the patriarch.

Audiences are strongly moved by the emotionally charged story, which captures their hearts with its untainted sincerity. At prestigious international film festivals like the Busan International Film Festival, the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and the 76th Cannes Film Festival, it has received praise and respect from all over the world. This film is very groundbreaking and has given Pakistan new perspectives.

In Flames was created with the intention of becoming a drama about a young woman and her hidden partner. It was based on Kahn’s prior short films, Dia (2018, 24 minutes) and Pak (eight minutes). But the idea developed into a compelling story.

The director, who now has a base in Canada but was born and raised in Karachi, said to Variety that the themes were also becoming more violent and more relevant to what was happening in Pakistan at the time, particularly when it came to the discussion of women’s rights and property rights. At the moment, many of these optics are really in flux and at odds with one another.

So, I had a strong sense that this was both the movie I could create and the movie that needed to be made.

Beyond Pakistan and South Asia, Kahn thinks that In Flames makes an important cinematic contribution to the ongoing worldwide conversation on women’s rights.

He emphasized, “Look at the US where rights are being rolled back; it’s happening all across the world right now. Consider Iran. It’s a worldwide discussion. In many respects, it does seem as though the world is in transition. I hope we get responses for the movie internationally.