Underplayed Gems

In Flames (2023)

In Flames poster
Original title
شعلوں میں
Directed by
Zarrar Kahn
Genre
horror film
Country
Canada
Runtime
1h 38m
Rated
NR
Rating
5.9 of 10 from 19 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

After the death of her father, a young woman in Karachi starts having disturbing visions. She and her mother must navigate a dangerous and patriarchal society while being haunted by the past.

hauntingtensegrief-strickenuneasyatmosphericsombersupernaturalslow-burn

What happens

In Flames is a 2023 Pakistani-Canadian supernatural horror drama film written, directed and co-edited by Zarrar Kahn in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Ramesha Nawal, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Mohammad Ali Hashmi and Omar Javaid. Set in contemporary Karachi, the film centres on Mariam (Nawal), a young woman who is haunted by visions of the past, after the death of the family's patriarch leaves her and her mother, Fariha (Mazhar) in a vulnerable social position in a highly patriarchal society. In Flames had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023 in the Directors' Fortnight section, where it competed for the Camera d'Or. This marked Pakistan's return to Director's Fortnight after more than four decades. The film received critical acclaim at Cannes, followed by a North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and winning Best Picture at the Red Sea International Film Festival. It premiered in Pakistan on 20 October 2023 and received generally positive reviews from critics. The film was selected as the Pakistani entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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