Pakistani film “Darling” to be Screened at Venice Film Festival

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 05 Jan 2023

Darling is a Pakistani film by Saim Sadiq. It will become the first Pakistani film ever to screen at the prestigious Venice Film Festival!

Darling, is set in a dance theater based in Lahore. The story revolves around a young boy and a trans girl. Darling is the first-ever Pakistani film to be an official selection and screen at any of the ‘Big Three’ film festivals i.e. namely Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.

The film stars upcoming actress Mehar Bano and Nadia Afghan. The main leads are Shani, played by Abdullah Malik, and Alina, played by Alina, a trans girl from Lahore who makes her acting debut with this film.

The film’s director Saim Sadiq is a 28-year-old filmmaker from Lahore. He is currently completing his graduate degree in film directing from Columbia University in New York. Before this, Sadiq’s short film Nice Talking to You was an official selection at South by Southwest 2019, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2019 and won Vimeo’s Best Director award at Columbia University Film Festival 2018.

Mahak Jiwani (also a Columbia graduate and producer of Premonition and Congratulations) and Nadia Afgan producer, while co-producers include Fahad Nabi and Jasmin Tennuci. Mo Azmi, who produced and shot Cake and Laal Kabootar, was the Director of Photography for Darling.

Darling’s world premiere will take place at Venice in September 2019. For more latest news Pakistan, visit 9newshd.tv