“In Flames” a psychological thriller film is the official 2023 Oscar Submission from Pakistan.
“In Flames” is a 2023 Pakistani-Canadian horror film written and directed by Zarrar Kahn in his directorial debut.
The film is set against the backdrop of Karachi and explores the challenges faced by a mother and daughter in the aftermath of the family patriarch’s passing.
It aims to explore the consequences of living in the confines of a fiercely patriarchal society.
The film centers on Mariam (Ramesha Nawal), a young woman who becomes haunted by visions of the dead returning to life after the death of her family’s patriarch leaves her and her mother Fariha (Bakhtawar Mazhar) in a vulnerable social position in Pakistan’s highly patriarchal society.
The pressures Mariam faces mount when a stranger throws a brick into her car, disrupting her drive to the library and shattering her window.
The film had its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight stream at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
It later had its North American premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
The film was selected as the Pakistani entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
