Afghanistan, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway2026103 minDari, Pashto with English Subtitles Canadian Premiere
As the sole camerawoman at Kabul’s state television network, Naru navigates a daily battleground of misogyny just to hold her rightful place. Trapped in a bitter separation from an unfaithful, abusive husband and unable to demand a divorce without sacrificing custody of her young son, she is hardened by these realities and her worldview is absolute: There are no good men left. That's until, on the precipice of the August 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Naru is thrust upon the front lines of the news department and paired with Qodrat, a married reporter whose disarming kindness and quiet empathy begin to fracture her cynicism.
Directed by and starring Shahrbanoo Sadat in a remarkable dual role, No Good Men is a distinctly woman-centred narrative, masterfully balancing realism with a deeply poetic, romantic drama exploring relationships in a patriarchal society. What emerges is a nuanced, emotionally resonant portrait of imperfect people finding an inexplicable connection as their country's trajectory is altered forever.
– Mariam Zaidi
Shahrbanoo Sadat
Anwar Hashimi
Liam Hussaini
Torkan Omari
Shahrbanoo Sadat
Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat is based in Hamburg, Germany. Her debut feature film, Wolf and Sheep (2016), and her second, The Orphanage (2019), both screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. Along with her most recent film, No Good Men, they form the first three parts of a planned five-film series inspired by the male actor Anwar Hashimi’s unpublished autobiography as well as the filmmaker’s own life.
Perhaps it’s time to reconcile your version of reality with the world that's in front of you. It may be more distant than you’d care to admit.
14 Nov. 2:45 pm
Writers from Reel Asian’s TV Writing Program bring their original series to the table for a live reading of selected scenes, presented in collaboration with ACTRA Toronto.
19 Nov. 7:30 pm
Win is a struggling gig worker whose mom is sick — and the hospital bills are about to force them out of their home. By chance, an old schoolmate gives Win the opportunity to make a quick buck by fighting in an underground MMA venue.
19 Nov. 7:00 pm
Founded in Toronto in 1997, Reel Asian is Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival and a year-round cultural organization dedicated to championing Asian and Asian diasporic artists and storytellers. What began as a grassroots film festival has grown into a national platform supporting filmmakers and audiences through screenings, education, industry initiatives, artist development, and community programming presented across Toronto, the GTA, and online across Canada.
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