Lali film to open Tasveer festival in Seattle — Dawn

“Lali,” a film by Pakistani director Sarmad Khoosat, will be screened on the opening night of the Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle, United States. The screening will take place on October 15 at 6:00 p.m. local time at the Tasveer Film Centre, Dawn reports.

Opening night

The festival announced the screening of “Lali” on its Instagram on Thursday. A red-carpet walk is planned before the screening, and after the credits, the cast and creative team will meet with viewers. The evening’s program also includes a gala dinner, live music and a DJ performance.

The Tasveer program includes 136 films, including 21 feature-length works. According to the publication, it is the only South Asian festival where a win may make a film eligible for consideration for an Oscar.

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Plot and Pakistani works

“Lali” tells the story of a young woman named Zeba, played by Mameya Shajaffar. After the mysterious deaths of three of her suitors, she begins to be called the “cursed bride.” As The Hollywood Reporter notes, the film explores fear, shame and violence hidden within intimate relationships.

Rasti Farooq and Mehar Bano also star in the film, while the music was composed by Abdullah Siddiqui. The festival will also screen Habiba Nosheen’s documentary “Gymnasts of the Fishing Colony” and five short works by Pakistani directors: “Tsrak,” “The Last Look,” “Khazana,” “Shirin” and “Silence on the Set.”

“Lali” was previously presented in Berlin, won an award in Washington and was screened in London. In 2024, the Pakistani film Wakhri opened Tasveer together with an Indian film, while Ahmed Ali Akbar’s “Laal Kabutar” won the festival’s audience award for best feature film in 2019.