Pakistani-Canadian Horror Film ‘In Flames’ Wins Top Prize at Red Sea Film Festival Amid Calls for Peace in Palestine
variety.comNick Holdsworth At the closing ceremony of the 3rd edition of the Red Sea Film Festival Thursday, which took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in front of an audience that included Hollywood stars Nicolas Cage, Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry, Jason Statham and Adrien Brody, the Golden Yusr for best film and a $100,000 cash prize went to Pakistani-Canadian horror film “In Flames,” directed by Zarrar Kahn.
The director said that the indie movie was shot for “just $300,000 — the size of a Red Sea Fund production grant.” He urged “everyone who gets a grant to go make a movie, because this was made for nothing.” The Silver Yusr prize for best feature film went to Tarsem Singh for “Dear Jassi.” The film, an India/Canada/U.S.
co-production, is based on the true story of a Canadian Punjabi woman who ran afoul of her family’s expectations when she chose to marry a working-class man for love and was subsequently murdered.
In comments directed at the international press, Singh pleaded with the media to drop the use of the term “honor killing.” “There is nothing honorable about killing your daughter or sister if they marry outside [of your class],” he said.
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