Web Desk: For the first time in its history, the Berlin Film Festival screened an all-Pakistani produced feature film, marking a milestone for the country’s cinema.
The Punjabi-language black comedy “Lali”, directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, had its world premiere on Thursday to a packed audience. The screening was warmly received, including by members of Berlin’s Pakistani community and the Pakistani Ambassador to Germany.
The film tells the story of Sajawal (Channan Hanif) and his new bride Zeba (Mamya Shajaffar), who face mysterious events in their working-class hometown of Sahiwal. Locals speculate that Zeba is under a curse after the unexplained deaths of her previous suitors.
Khoosat described the achievement as both a source of pride and responsibility, emphasizing that the recognition validates a story deeply rooted in its cultural and linguistic idiom. The film also showcases the region’s characteristic boisterous humor, highlighted by the character of Sajawal’s mother, the formidable Sohni Ammi.
With “Lali,” Pakistan celebrates a historic debut at one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, bringing Punjabi storytelling and humor to an international stage.
