Shahrbanoo Sadat's 'No Good Men', billed as Afghanistan's first romantic comedy, will open the Berlin International Film Festival on Thursday. The film, which Sadat wrote, directed and stars in, follows a love story set in a Kabul newsroom just before the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
Sadat, 35, said she wanted to challenge the Western stereotype that Afghan life is solely about war and oppression. 'My life is not a war drama every day. There's a lot of humour and a lot of comedy,' she said. The film includes scenes of frank sexuality and a passionate on-screen kiss, which Sadat believes are firsts for Afghan cinema.
The plot centres on Naru, the only female camerawoman at Kabul's main TV station, who is separated from her cheating husband and fighting for custody of her son. She teams up with prominent journalist Qodrat to cover the city's last days of relative freedom, and a romance blossoms.
Sadat described the film as 'a love letter to all the good men I know', pushing back against the 'monster' image of Afghan men often depicted on screen. She also aimed to highlight the patriarchal structures that persisted during the Western occupation, rather than blaming the Taliban alone for women's oppression.
The director, who was evacuated to Europe after Kabul fell, said European film institutes were initially hesitant to back a comedy about Afghanistan. However, she believes Afghan audiences will seek out the film, even if they have to watch it in parts on TikTok.
