We caught up with Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Zarrar Kahn feature directorial debut, In Flames, is currently playing in theaters across Canada the U.S. Written and diected by Zarrar, the supernatural thriller had its Canadian premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and was the first South Asian horror film to premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival as part of the return of the Directors Fortnight.
In Flames follows a mother and daughter’s precarious existence in Karachi, Pakistan that is ripped apart by figures from their past after the death of the family patriarch. They must find strength in each other if they are to survive the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf them.
Ramesha Nawal, Omar Javaid, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Mohammad Ali Hashmi, and Jibran Khan star in the film.
Check out our conversation with Zarrar below.
When did you decide that storytelling was something you wanted to do?
Zarrar Kahn (ZK): You know, I’ve always found the power of storytelling. When I was a kid, I used to make comic book fan fiction and rewrite comic book heroes, telling the stories in new ways. And as I was attracted to theater; I really found it a powerful way to tell stories. I think I ended up in cinema because it’s the best way to bring together all of these different art forms. It’s performance, it’s writing, it’s production design, it’s costumes, it’s music and it’s bringing together so many things that I’m passionate about through one medium. So yeah, from a young age, I guess.
What can you tell us about In Flames?
ZK: In Flames is a film about a mother, daughter in Karachi, Pakistan who lose the last layer of patriarchal protection that they have. It’s about how they navigate society while they’re being haunted by forces both real and imagined. It’s only through them finding community with each other that they’re able to make their way through. It’s a film about a hard city and the hard choices that you have to make to survive.
What can you tell us about the horror elements in the film?
ZK: I think there’s a horror renaissance because we’re living through horrific times. You know, the world is changing rapidly and we’re watching societies collapse in real time through our phones. I think horror can give you catharsis and it can also make unstoppable forces be easily defeated by our protagonists. So it’s been really gratifying to work within the conventions of the genre. I’m skeptical to call it a horror movie. I think it has horror beats. It’s a genre-bending film, but it takes from horror to give you a visceral sense of what it’s like to be a woman in Pakistan and I think no other tool in cinema besides horror can really convey that feeling.
What were some learning experiences you gained from directing In Flames?
ZK: Never ever schedule anything for sunrise because if it’s sunrise, that means you have to be there at 3 a.m. I am not a morning person, but also always remember that you’re just making a movie and no matter how chaotic things get on set at the end of the day, these are artists who’ve come together to create a fictionalized world and the stakes are never that high. The end of the day is just a film, but that would be the biggest thing to give everyone some grace.
When people watch the film, what are you hoping they get out of it?
ZK: I hope they’re able to get a sense that in a world that can feel morally bankrupt, it’s only by finding community that we’re able to make our way through with hope and dignity.
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Follow Zarrar Kahn: Instagram
In Flames: Instagram | TikTok