No Good Men to open Berlinale

Drama is third feature from Shahrbanoo Sadat

by Amber Wilkinson

Anwar Hashimi, Shahrbanoo Sadat in No Good Men by Shahrbanoo Sadat
Anwar Hashimi, Shahrbanoo Sadat in No Good Men by Shahrbanoo Sadat Photo: © Virginie Surdej
The 76th edition of the Berlin Film Festival will open with the world premiere of No Good Men on February 12.

The drama is the third feature film by award-winning Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, who previously made Wolf And Sheep (2016) and The Orphanage (2019). The film is the third of five planned films based on the autobiographical writings of author and actor Anwar Hashimi, who stars in the film alongside Sadat.

Naru (Sadat), the only camerawoman at Kabul TV, is convinced that there are no good men in Afghanistan. But when the reporter Qodrat takes her on assignment just before the Taliban’s return, sparks fly – and she begins to question this belief.

Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle said: “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 of the 76th Berlinale“.

Sadat added: “Growing up in Afghanistan’s deeply patriarchal society, I believed there were no good men – until I found out another reality exists, and I hope this film offers young women hope and young men an example.”

No Good Men is an international co-production between Germany, France, Norway, Denmark and Afghanistan. It will be released in Germany on August 27.

Share this with others on...
News

From the withered tree Taratoa Stappard on colonial hierarchies, Ariana Osborne and Marama

Behind the tsar Olivier Assayas on humanising history in The Wizard Of The Kremlin

Suppressed energy Toby Jones on crafting characters and his role in Mr. Burton

Final exit for France’s national treasure Nathalie Baye From Truffaut to Beauvois she relished playing 'dangerous women'

Facets of fashion Ferzan Özpetek on the all-encompassing art of cinema, and Diamanti

The dying house Taratoa Stappard on colonial horrors and inventing the Maori Gothic with Marama

More news and features

We're bringing you news and reviews from Fantaspoa and Overlook.



We're looking forward to Visions du Réel and Cannes.



We've recently brought you coverage of BFI Flare and SXSW, the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, the NY Rendezvous with French Cinema, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance and Palm Springs.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest from the spring events:


Cannes This year's star-studded line-up announced


Cannes Critics' Week selection of first and second features announced


Cannes Acid sidebar announced


Cannes Directors' Fortnight selection


Cannes Leïla Bekhti heads Un Certain Regard jury