Three Pakistani independent films gain international recognition

Summary

• It was also included in the official selection of the 2026 Gandhara Independent Film Festival, giving the production further opportunities to reach international audiences.
• The film received international recognition after winning Best International Short Film at the 2026 Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival in Canada, held from September 30 to October 4.
• It was also selected for the Birmingham Film Festival, where it received a nomination for Best International Film.

AI Generated Summary

Pakistani independent cinema is gaining international attention as local filmmakers take culturally rich and socially relevant stories to audiences around the world. Three films, Lali, How to Kill Your Hunger? and The Last Glance, are attracting interest through international film festivals, highlighting the growing diversity of Pakistan’s film industry.

While mainstream Pakistani cinema often focuses on major productions and established stars, independent filmmakers are exploring stories that reflect the country’s traditions, social challenges and everyday realities. Their work is creating opportunities for Pakistani cinema to reach wider audiences and demonstrate its storytelling potential on the global stage.

Previous films such as Joyland, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, and In Flames, which debuted at Cannes in 2023, have helped bring Pakistani filmmaking to international attention. Zinda Bhaag, selected as Pakistan’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2014 Academy Awards, also contributed to the growing international conversation about the country’s cinema.

The latest wave of independent productions continues this progress, with filmmakers presenting stories that combine local experiences with universal themes of identity, poverty, relationships and survival.

Lali explores superstition and troubled relationships

Directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, Lali is a Punjabi-language film set in Sahiwal. It follows Zeba, played by Mamya Shajaffar, who enters an arranged marriage with Sajawal, portrayed by Channan Hanif, hoping to begin a new chapter in her life.

However, Zeba carries a troubling past. Three of her previous suitors died before marrying her, leading people around her to believe that she is cursed. Her new husband struggles with his own insecurities, which gradually develop into suspicion and possessive behaviour.

As Zeba attempts to adjust to married life, she finds support in her sharp-witted mother-in-law, Sohni Ammi, and a neighbour named Bholi, who appears to understand more than she reveals.

The film combines Punjabi folklore, dark humour and supernatural elements to examine how superstition and fear can shape relationships. It also highlights the pressures faced by women who find themselves judged by their communities because of circumstances beyond their control.