Berlin Screens Pakistan’s First All-Pakistani Feature Film
News Desk
Berlin: The Berlin International Film Festival made history this week by screening its first-ever feature film fully produced in Pakistan.
The Punjabi-language black comedy “Lali”, directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, had its world premiere on Thursday to a packed audience, including members of Berlin’s Pakistani community and the country’s ambassador to Germany.
The film tells the story of Sajawal (Channan Hanif) and his new bride Zeba (Mamya Shajaffar), who, in their working-class hometown of Sahiwal, are rumored to be cursed after Zeba’s previous suitors mysteriously died.
The narrative blends the boisterous, dark humour typical of Punjab with serious themes of desire, sexuality, trauma, and hints of the supernatural.
Khoosat described the screening as both a “good sense of achievement” and a “sense of responsibility,” calling it a “sign of validation” to have a story “deeply rooted in its own idiom” recognized on a global stage.
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The film opens with Sajawal’s matriarchal mother, Sohni Ammi, celebrating his wedding with gunfire, only to get shot in the leg herself—setting the tone for the film’s mordant humour that alternates with moments of poignant reflection.
Khoosat, who previously produced the critically acclaimed Cannes winner “Joyland”, praised the new generation of Pakistani filmmakers and emphasized the importance of visibility on international platforms.
He noted that Pakistani cinema has struggled over the past two decades, moving away from producing more than 100 films annually to facing a “semi-gradual kind of demise” amid the rise of other media and changing audience preferences.
“This opportunity of visibility on such platforms—I just wish that it would translate into a more thriving domestic film industry,” Khoosat said, highlighting the potential for films like “Lali” to bring renewed recognition to Pakistani cinema while encouraging emerging filmmakers to continue creating impactful work.
The Berlin premiere marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s film industry, showcasing its capacity for unique storytelling and international appeal.
