Pakistani committee picks Cannes-premiered horror film for this year’s Oscar run

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee (PASC) announced its official Oscar submission for this year on Saturday, breaking away from more conventional choices and opting for a horror film that made its premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May.
Directed by Zarrar Kahn, “In Flames” follows a mother and her daughter as their lives are upended by tangible and spectral forces from their past, making them realize their unique bond is their only defense against the looming darkness.
The committee, a non-governmental body of Pakistani film directors, producers, writers, actors and distributors, nominated the film for the international festival while praising it for its overall quality.
“As the Chair of the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee, it is with immense pride and a deep sense of responsibility that we select and submit ‘In Flames’ as Pakistan’s official entry for the International Feature category at the 96th Academy Awards,” PASC chairperson Mohammed Ali Naqvi said. “This selection not only underscores the film’s brilliance but also marks a pivotal moment in the evolving narrative of Pakistani cinema.”
“‘In Flames’ is a testament to the boundless potential of Pakistani cinema on the global stage,” he added.
The Pakistani horror film is destined to be screened at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah which is scheduled to begin toward the end of the next month.
“I’m deeply honored that our film has been recognized by Pakistan’s Oscar committee,” Kahn, the director, said after the nomination. “We’re currently self-distributing the film in Pakistan, as despite clearance from the local censor board, we were considered too controversial by local distributors — so we’re doing it ourselves.”
He said the response from Pakistani audiences had been “rapturous.”
“‘In Flames’ is an urgent call-to-action, exposing the brutality of the patriarchy and the power of community,” he continued. “In today’s divided world, it offers solace to the oppressed — and tells them that hope can never be extinguished.”
The film is currently running in cinemas across Pakistan.