A scene from ‘Lali’ and a scene from ‘No Good Males’. Pictures: Hollywood Reporter/DWPhoto
BERLIN:
The 76th Berlin Movie Pageant opened on Thursday, providing audiences a line-up that prioritises political narratives, rising expertise, and worldwide voices over mainstream Hollywood glamour.
Operating till February 22, the competition options over 200 movies from greater than 80 international locations, with 22 competing for the coveted Golden Bear. The road-up consists of ‘Lali’ that can debute the nation within the prestigious worldwide movies honest.
Pageant director Tricia Tuttle stated the programme displays “the place worldwide cinema is true now,” highlighting recurring themes of household and intimacy underneath stress, questions of care, belonging, and the expertise of dwelling between worlds.
“Most of the movies discover how non-public lives are formed by bigger political and social forces,” she famous, underscoring Berlin’s enduring repute as a competition that favours artwork home and politically charged cinema.
The opening movie, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat’s ‘No Good Males’, is ready in Kabul in 2021 in the course of the US troop withdrawal. Specializing in Afghan girls’s experiences, the movie addresses a topic not often depicted internationally.
Sadat, who fled Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, described the choice as “an opportunity to handle the state of affairs of girls in Afghanistan, even when briefly.”
Whereas a handful of stars seem — Juliette Binoche, Channing Tatum, Riley Keough, Elle Fanning, and Callum Turner — the competition prioritises cinephiles over mainstream audiences.
Girls administrators are outstanding, with 9 of twenty-two competitors movies helmed by girls, surpassing Cannes and Venice in proportion. European co-productions, akin to Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Worth’, supported by Norway, Denmark, France, and Germany, additional emphasise the collaborative nature of up to date cinema.
Streaming giants stay comparatively absent, with solely Netflix’s ‘Un hijo proprio’ showing within the Particular Presentation part, reflecting Berlin’s deal with theatrical exhibition and auteur-driven work.
Amid this international highlight, Berlin may even host a historic milestone for Pakistani cinema. Italian gross sales firm Luminalia has secured world gross sales rights to ‘Lali’, the primary all-Pakistani manufacturing chosen for the competition.
Directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and co-written with Sundus Hashmi, the movie will premiere within the Panorama part on February 19. Luminalia, launched in 2025 to champion cinema from underrepresented international locations, noticed ‘Lali’ as an ideal match for its mission.
“From the outset, Tommaso and Luminalia understood this, and we worth the main target and discernment they bring about to the movie’s worldwide launch,” stated producer Kanwal Khoosat.
‘Lali’ is ready within the shanty cities of Sahiwal and follows newlyweds Zeba and Sajawal. Zeba, whose earlier three suitors died underneath mysterious circumstances, navigates life with a feisty mother-in-law and a quiet, sensible neighbour.
Sajawal, more and more haunted by paranoia, struggles to reconcile love with concern. Mamya Shajaffar and Channan Hanif lead the solid, supported by Rasti Farooq, Farazeh Syed, and Mehr Bano. Khoosat, identified for Busan 2019 award-winner ‘Circus of Life’ and producing Cannes 2022 jury prize winner ‘Joyland’, brings a nuanced imaginative and prescient that mixes darkish comedy with social commentary.
Berlin’s timing early within the 12 months has made it a key gauge for the impartial movie business. Round 12,000 business members from 140 international locations attend the competition and the European Movie Market, combining public screenings with alternatives to check movies’ business potential.
Final 12 months, ticket gross sales reached a report 336,000, and youth tickets priced at six euros this 12 months are anticipated to additional increase attendance.
Past competitors, the competition will honour Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh with a lifetime achievement award, balancing recognition of cinematic excellence with a showcase of politically resonant and culturally numerous storytelling.
Critics word that the 2026 version is each a platform for rising voices and a reaffirmation of Berlin’s id as a competition that celebrates daring, socially engaged cinema.
As ‘Lali’ prepares for its world premiere, it carries the hopes of Pakistan’s movie business onto the worldwide stage, aligning with Berlin’s ethos of inclusivity, cultural alternate, and cinematic exploration.
Within the coronary heart of Europe’s capital, the tales of Sahiwal and Kabul sit aspect by aspect with international narratives, illustrating the competition’s enduring dedication to discovery, innovation, and the ability of movie to light up lives throughout borders.
