In Flames (film)

• Ramesha Nawal
• Bakhtawar Mazhar
• Mohammad Ali Hashmi
• Adnan Shah Tipu
• Omar Javaid[6]

Kahn, a Pakistani Canadian director who has worked in both countries, wrote the film as a commentary on patriarchy and sexism in Pakistan.[2] He has stated that he chose to write it as a horror metaphor rather than a socially realist drama, so that he could give Mariam the agency to fight back and survive; he acknowledged that the film draws on the final girl trope in horror fiction, stating that "at least, in movies like these, she’s still there at the end of the film and she’s conquered her demons."[2] He further stated that he had been influenced by films such as Atlantiques and Titane, which "are using genre in new and exciting ways".[2]

Mariam was previously a character in Kahn's 2018 short film Dia, although she was portrayed by a different actress in that film.[1]

The film was shot in Karachi in February 2022.[7]

Fae Pictures co-produced the film, which received funding from the Telefilm Talent to Watch program.[8]

The film was picked up for distribution by XYZ Films in 2022.[9][10] It premiered at Cannes as the debut title for New Visions, XYZ's new label for microbudget horror films by emerging directors.[11]

It had its Canadian premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September.[5] The film is also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section and will be screened in October 2023.[12] It will also compete in the Official Selection at the 56th Sitges Film Festival.[13]

The film currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on five reviews.[14]

Christian Zilko of IndieWire wrote that "Zarrar Kahn’s genre-bending horror movie — which has the well-deserved honor of being the first Pakistani film to premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight in over four decades — is a Kafkaesque saga of niceties gone awry. What begins as a story of a poor family relying on the kindness of their community quickly turns into a hellish tale of how the ground is always shifting underneath you when all of your benefactors have an angle. Kahn’s masterful use of red herrings and subtext creates an environment where nobody ever quite knows where they stand. It’s a seedy ride through a bleak existence that would be entertaining enough to watch with popcorn if it didn’t depict a life that’s all too real for too many people."[15]

For The Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarkye wrote that "In Flames teases out how the patriarchy — a large, unruly force — fractures the relationship between mother and daughter. Kahn depicts Mariam and Fariah’s parallel experiences, observing how each of them tries to regain a sense of agency. Mariam uses a sympathetic driver to help her figure out what happened to Asad, while Fariah attempts to seduce a lawyer she hired to fight Nasir into lowering his legal fees. These scenes are tinged with a stressful desperation, as the women find themselves further constricted by society."[16]

Allan Hunter of Screen Daily wrote that "In Flames is well-crafted, the sound design capturing the jarring sounds of the city at night which seem designed to set everyone on edge. Production designer Matti Malik fills Mariam’s home with rich red earth and terracotta colours, lending it the warmth of a sanctuary – albeit one that is increasingly under threat. Kahn slightly drops the ball as he creates a muddled, jeopardy-driven climax that is in too much of a hurry to tie everything up. In the end, however, what lends this film distinction is the way it evolves into a story of female empowerment, and the bond between mother and daughter as they combat the pernicious evils of a patriarchal society."[17]

Siddhant Adlakha of JoySauce.com described the film as "a fine-tuned, socially oriented character drama in the shape of a supernatural thriller, with personal demons that take the form of cultural fanaticism, as a woman struggles to make her voice heard in a society hellbent on suffocating her."[18]

The film was selected to compete for the $10,000 RBC Emerging Artist Award at the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival.[19]

The film was shortlisted for the Directors Guild of Canada's 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award.[20]

• In Flames at IMDb