Lahore: Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s 'Darling' is set to become the first-ever Pakistani film to screen at the prestigious Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival.
The 76th Venice Film Festival will begin on August 28 and will last till September 7, 2019.
Darling, set in a dance theatre in Lahore where the story revolves around a young boy and a trans girl, is the first-ever Pakistani film to be an official selection and screen at any of the ‘Big Three’ film festivals. It is pertained to mention here that Big Three is a term used for the three most prestigious film festivals in the world namely Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.
The film’s cast includes upcoming actress Mehar Bano and Nadia Afgan of Suno Chanda and Shaslik fame. The main leads are Shani, played by Abdullah Malik, and Alina Darling, played by Alina Khan, a trans girl from Lahore who makes her acting debut with this film.
Saim Sadiq is a 28-year-old filmmaker from Lahore. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in film directing from Columbia University in New York.
Before Darling, Sadiq’s short film Nice Talking to You was an official selection at South by Southwest 2019, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2019 and also won Vimeo's Best Director award at Columbia University Film Festival 2018. Sadiq is currently developing a pilot for MakeReady in Los Angeles and working on his first feature, Gulaab, which was selected for the Open Doors Hub at the 2018 Locarno Film Festival.
Mahak Jiwani and Nadia Afgan have produced the film, with Fahad Nabi and Jasmin Tennuci co-producing.
Mo Azmi, who produced and shot Cake and Laal Kabootar, was the Director of Photography for Darling.
Darling’s world premiere is set to take place at Venice in September 2020.
The 76th Venice Film Festival will begin on August 28 and will last till September 7, 2019.
-Screenshot From Venice Film Festival Web Announcement
Darling, set in a dance theatre in Lahore where the story revolves around a young boy and a trans girl, is the first-ever Pakistani film to be an official selection and screen at any of the ‘Big Three’ film festivals. It is pertained to mention here that Big Three is a term used for the three most prestigious film festivals in the world namely Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.
The film’s cast includes upcoming actress Mehar Bano and Nadia Afgan of Suno Chanda and Shaslik fame. The main leads are Shani, played by Abdullah Malik, and Alina Darling, played by Alina Khan, a trans girl from Lahore who makes her acting debut with this film.
The Director
Saim Sadiq is a 28-year-old filmmaker from Lahore. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in film directing from Columbia University in New York.
Before Darling, Sadiq’s short film Nice Talking to You was an official selection at South by Southwest 2019, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2019 and also won Vimeo's Best Director award at Columbia University Film Festival 2018. Sadiq is currently developing a pilot for MakeReady in Los Angeles and working on his first feature, Gulaab, which was selected for the Open Doors Hub at the 2018 Locarno Film Festival.Mahak Jiwani and Nadia Afgan have produced the film, with Fahad Nabi and Jasmin Tennuci co-producing.
Mo Azmi, who produced and shot Cake and Laal Kabootar, was the Director of Photography for Darling.
Darling’s world premiere is set to take place at Venice in September 2020.