The world premiere of award-winning Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat’s third feature, No Good Men, will open the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, taking place from 12–22 February. The film will be presented out of competition in the Berlinale Special Gala section and will be screened at the Berlinale Palast, celebrating its world premiere in the presence of the cast and crew.

The story follows Naru, the only female camerawoman at Kabul TV, who is convinced there are no good men in Afghanistan. When reporter Qodrat takes her on an assignment just before the Taliban’s return, sparks fly, and she begins to question this belief.

The main characters are portrayed by Sadat as Naru, in a film that is both personal and political, and by author and actor Anwar Hashimi as Qodrat. No Good Men is also the third of five planned films based on Hashimi’s autobiographical writings.

The film follows Sadat’s previous critically acclaimed features Wolf and Sheep [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] and its sequel The Orphanage [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], where Hashimi also stars, screened at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. The Orphanage was also supported by the Berlinale World Cinema Fund. Sadat, who also serves as writer, commented: “Growing up in Afghanistan’s deeply patriarchal society, I believed there were no good men – until I found out another reality exists. I hope this film offers young women hope and young men an example.”

Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle added: “Shahrbanoo Sadat is one of the most exciting voices in world cinema and No Good Men really delivers on the promise of her first two features. Sadat continues her vital work spotlighting Afghan women’s lives, here bringing romance and touches of humour to a rousingly political story. That it is based on real events, and the director risked so much to get this film made makes No Good Men even more meaningful as our Opening Gala“.

No Good Men is a co-production between Germany, France, Norway, Denmark and Afghanistan, produced by Adomeit Film, La Fábrica Nocturna Cinéma, Motlys, Amerikafilm and Wolf Pictures. German funding came from MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg-Schleswig-Holstein, the German Federal Film Board (FFA) & German-French Mini Treaty, the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, nordmedia-Film-und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH, and MV Filmförderung. Filming took place across multiple locations in Germany. The German theatrical release is scheduled for 27 August.