ISLAMABAD: “In Flames,” Pakistan‘s submission to the Oscars‘ international feature category, has won the International Newcomer Award at the 72nd International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg, ahead of playing at the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF), which begins in Jeddah tomorrow, Thursday.

Earlier this year in May, Zarrar Kahn’s horror-drama In Flames became the second Pakistani film in 43 years to make it to Directors’ Fortnight, an event that runs parallel to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Last month, the film was independently released at the Atrium Cinemas in Pakistan’s southern Karachi city for a 12-day run which was later extended until November 9. The film has also played at festivals in Toronto, Busan, Sitges, Sao Paulo and Pingyao.

“The main prize of 30,000 euros, the International Newcomer Award, went to In Flames by Pakistani director Zarrar Kahn, who accepted the award in person,” the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg said on its website.

“In Flames is a thrilling social portrait in which a young female student fights against the patriarchal power structures in Pakistan and the demons of her own family history.”

The award’s jury members, Elisa Schlott, Denis Dercourt and Goran Stolevski, said:

“Our award goes to a filmmaker who manages to shift and play with genre while maintaining a connection both to his audience as well as his protagonist throughout the film. The main character is a young woman who is allowed to be both brave and fragile, and she is brought to life through a wonderful debut performance that complements the mise-en-scene.”

In an interview to Arab News earlier this month, Bakhtawar Mazhar described In Flames as a psychological thriller that follows the struggle of a mother (Mazhar) and her daughter (Ramesha Nawal) after the loss of the patriarch of the family. The film has been written and directed by award-winning Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Zarrar Kahn and produced by Anam Abbas.

“Even though this film was shot in Karachi, women around the world were crying [after watching the film] and they were like, we know the struggle this character went through, we know the struggle of Fariha and Mariam,” Nawal told Arab News.

“In Flames” is also Pakistan’s official submission under the Foreign Language Film category for the 96th Academy Awards next year.