Berlin Festival Opens with Afghan Film No Good Men

The Berlin Film Festival will open on February 12 with No Good Men, a romantic comedy by Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat. The film, backed by German producers, takes place in a Kabul newsroom during the years of democracy before the Taliban took power in 2021. It will screen as a special gala at the Berlinale Palast.

Background

Shahrbanoo Sadat was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1990 to Afghan parents who had fled their home country. She spent her early years in Iran before moving to her parents' village in Afghanistan as a child. There, she faced pressure for an arranged marriage but convinced her father and local leaders to let her attend a boys' school. At 18, she moved to Kabul. A mix-up in registration sent her to study cinema at Kabul University, though she left after one year to work at Tolo TV, a local channel.

In 2009, Sadat joined a documentary workshop run by Ateliers Varan in Kabul. That led to her first short documentary. By 2011, she made Vice Versa One, her first fiction short, which played at the Directors' Fortnight in Cannes. Two years later, she co-directed Not At Home with Katja Adomeit. That hybrid film appeared at the Rotterdam Film Festival.

Sadat started her own production company in Kabul in 2013. She became the first woman from Afghanistan and the youngest ever picked for the Cinéfondation residency at Cannes. There, she wrote Wolf and Sheep, a story drawn from her teen years in a remote village. The film premiered at Directors' Fortnight in 2016 and won the Art and Cinema Award. It was made in Afghanistan, Denmark, France, and Sweden.

Her next feature, The Orphanage, also drew praise for showing rural Afghan life. Sadat split her time between Kabul and Copenhagen for years. After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, she moved to Hamburg, Germany, where she continues her work as a scriptwriter, producer, and director.

The Berlin Film Festival, known as the Berlinale, is one of the top events in world cinema. It draws filmmakers, actors, and audiences from around the globe each February. Opening with a film like No Good Men fits the festival's history of spotlighting new voices and stories from places often overlooked.

Key Details

No Good Men centers on life inside a newsroom in Kabul during the democratic period from 2001 to 2021. The story mixes romance and comedy amid the daily grind of reporting news. German producers supported the project, which adds to its international reach.

The screening happens on February 12 at the Berlinale Palast, the festival's main venue. It is billed as a Berlinale Special Gala, a high-profile slot that sets the tone for the event. Festival leaders chose this film to kick off the lineup, signaling its place among the highlights.

Sadat's path to this moment builds on a string of achievements. Her short Who Wants to Be the Wolf? played at the Concorto festival in Italy in 2015. She has lived and worked in multiple countries, including Denmark and Germany, while keeping her focus on Afghan tales.

Sadat's Move from Kabul

When the Taliban seized Kabul in 2021, Sadat left Afghanistan. She relocated first to Copenhagen, then settled in Hamburg. From there, she has kept making films that capture her homeland's recent past. No Good Men reflects that era of relative freedom, when women like her could pursue careers in film and media.

"I want to tell stories from my country that show real life, not just war." – Shahrbanoo Sadat

The festival runs for about 10 days, with competitions for top awards like the Golden Bear. Special galas like this one often feature films outside the main contest but with strong appeal.

What This Means

Opening the Berlinale with No Good Men brings attention to Afghan cinema at a time when the country faces strict limits under Taliban rule. Women directors like Sadat face extra hurdles there now, with many creative fields shut down. This film recalls a time when Kabul had bustling newsrooms and open cultural spaces.

For Sadat, the slot marks a career high. Her earlier films gained notice at Cannes and Rotterdam, but headlining Berlin puts her work in front of thousands. It also shows how filmmakers in exile keep telling their stories.

The choice highlights Berlin's role in supporting global cinema. German backing for the film ties into Europe's ongoing interest in Afghan narratives since 2021. Viewers will see a lighter side of Kabul life, through romance and workplace humor, different from common images of conflict.

Festival organizers often pick openers that mix entertainment with deeper themes. No Good Men fits that, offering laughs while nodding to a lost era. It may draw crowds curious about Afghanistan beyond headlines.

Sadat's success as the first Afghan woman at key spots like Cannes residency inspires others. Young filmmakers from similar backgrounds watch these steps. Her production company, started in Kabul, shows how local efforts can grow into world events.

The gala screening sets expectations for the full festival. Past openers have gone on to awards and wider releases. No Good Men could follow that path, reaching theaters and streaming beyond Berlin.

This event comes as world cinema recovers from pandemic years. The Berlinale draws over 300,000 people in normal times, with hundreds of films. Starting with an Afghan comedy signals a return to diverse programming.

Sadat's story—from village school to Berlin stage—shows persistence pays off. Her films stick to authentic Afghan settings and people. No Good Men continues that, set in a newsroom full of everyday drama and love.