Pakistani filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali has been selected for the 70th BFI London Film Festival, marking another major international milestone for Pakistani cinema. The film will screen on October 7.
The United Kingdom’s biggest film event announced its 2026 programme on Wednesday. The two-week festival will present 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries, giving filmmakers from around the world a global platform.
Khoosat shared the news on Instagram after the festival programme was unveiled. The director expressed his excitement about bringing the film’s music, colours, emotions and distinctive storytelling to an international audience in London.
Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali previously made history in February by becoming the first fully Pakistani-produced feature film to premiere at the Berlinale. Its selection for the London festival adds another significant achievement to its international journey.
The film follows Zeba, played by Mamya Shajaffar, a young woman who becomes known as a “cursed bride” after three of her former suitors die in mysterious circumstances. The story explores fear, shame and violence within intimate relationships.
Lali features an ensemble cast that includes Rasti Farooq, known for Joyland, and Meher Bano, who starred in Churails. The film was co-written by Khoosat and Sundus Hashmi, while musician Abdullah Siddiqui composed its score.
Khoosat has previously earned international recognition for his work. His 2019 film Zindagi Tamasha was selected as Pakistan’s entry for the Academy Awards, while Joyland, which he produced, won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2022. With Lali, the filmmaker continues to take Pakistani stories to major global film platforms.
