At the Canadian Screen Week’s last ceremony on Friday, director Zarrar Kahn added another accolade to his resume when his first supernatural drama picture, In Flames, won the Best First Feature picture Award.
After four days of celebrating the accomplishments of Canadian artists in film, television, and digital media, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television held its last award event of Canadian Screen Week 2024 at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto.
In Flames is a ghost story set in modern-day Karachi and starring Ramesha Nawal, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Mohammad Ali Hashmi, and Omar Javaid. The film tackles issues of vulnerability, oppression, and loss, centered around the death of the family patriarch and its disastrous effect on a mother and daughter. If the mother and daughter team are to defeat the evil powers that stand poised to overwhelm them, they will need to draw strength from one another.
The spooky drama starring Pakistani and Canadian actors has won praise from critics before. In Flames debuted globally in May 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was a competitor for the Camera d’Or. In Flames had a successful North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, following its Cannes premiere. In Flames took home the Best Movie Award at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah in December, demonstrating how successful 2023 turned out to be.
Tammy Frick, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, praised this year’s winners of the competition at the Canadian Screen Awards, stating, “Your dedication to excellence is not only recognized but celebrated as the cornerstone of our industry’s success.” The comedy series Bria Mack Gets A Life, the sitcom Children Ruin Everything, and the drama series Little Bird were among the other award-winning productions.
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