Pakistani short film titled Bhai just made it to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It will be screened at the festival in September. The film has been directed and written by Hamza Bangash.
“BHAI is heading to Toronto International Film Festival,” Hamza announced on social media sharing his experience with TIFF.
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“Bhai is a film about two brothers, who on Pakistan’s Independence Day go out to a fast-food restaurant- when a dancing monkey interrupts. It’s a film about choti khushiyaan, and about everyday bravery – the kind that Karachiites have in spades,” he wrote explaining what his film is about.
Despite having past experiences and association with the festival, in 2021, for the first time, he is going to get to experience the festival as a filmmaker. “It’s a literal dream come true. TIFF was the festival that introduced me to cinema, and I’m over the moon to be presenting the last of my Pakistan-set short films here, Bhai.”
“On Pakistan’s Independence Day, two brothers go out to celebrate together at a biryani restaurant. One of the brothers is on the autism spectrum, and he has an episode while he waits for his older brother to return from picking up their food. The older brother watches his younger brother struggle from inside the restaurant, and must decide what to do. Does he have the courage to help his autistic brother, or will he ignore his plight? The film is about the choices we make, shame, trauma, brotherhood and finding a small sliver of happiness in a brutal world,” reads the official synopsis of the film.
Bhai was shot during the pandemic. Watch the trailer here:
