The new feature film by the Afghan filmmaker will open the Berlin International Film Festival out of competition, within the Berlinale Special Gala section.

The world premiere of No Good Men, the third feature film by Afghan director Sharbanoo Sadat, will inaugurate the 76th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, which begins on February 12. The film will be screened out of competition as part of the Berlinale Special Gala section, the festival organization announced on Friday in a statement.

Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle highlighted the significance of the filmmaker and her new work. “Sharbanoo Sadat is one of the most interesting voices in international cinema. No Good Men impressively fulfills the promise of her first two films,” she said. Tuttle also emphasized that, once again, the director focuses on the lives of Afghan women and “combines a gripping political story with romanticism and subtle humor.”

The statement also notes that the film is based on real events and that its production involved significant personal and professional risk for the director, making No Good Men “an even more impressive opening for the 76th Berlinale.”

The film follows Naru, played by Sadat herself, the only female camera operator at Kabul TV, who is convinced that there are no good men in Afghanistan. Shortly before the Taliban’s return to power, Naru accompanies reporter Qodrat on a journalistic assignment, and an unexpected relationship develops that challenges her deepest convictions.

“Growing up in a deeply patriarchal Afghan society, for a long time I did not believe in the existence of good men. Only later did I discover that there is another reality,” Sadat said. “I hope this film offers hope to young women and an example to young men,” the director added.

No Good Men is a co-production between Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, and Afghanistan, and continues Sadat’s internationally acclaimed career following Wolf and Sheep (2016) and Parwareshghah (The Orphanage, 2019), both of which were screened at the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. The Orphanage also received support from the Berlinale World Cinema Fund.

According to the festival organization, “Sadat now continues her singular cinematic journey and tells a romantic comedy that is both personal and political.” The film is the third of five planned features, all based on the autobiographical writings of author and actor Anwar Hashimi, who also appears in the film alongside Sadat, who plays the leading female role.