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No Good Men, they form the first three parts of a planned five-film series inspired by the male actor Anwar Hashimi’s unpublished autobiography as well as the filmmaker’s own life.
Yosef, 19, is caught in the friction of a fractured, first-generation identity, longing to anchor himself to his roots while navigating a world that demands he forget them. While his parents encourage a path that promises security over fulfilment, his younger sister, Azra, returns to Egypt and discovers a liberating sense of belonging, giving Yosef new perspective.
14 Nov. 5:15 pm
Remixing Wee Asian with archival short films, this edition reframes what might be discovered in the programme through craft, narratives, and sensory experiences.
21 Nov. 10:00 am
Consider the rhythms of labour: in the home, at the workplace, and on the streets. These films capture the stories of those who power our cities and ask, "How do we better meet each other where we are at?"
12 Nov. 5:30 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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