Zarrar Kahn
Writer/Director/Producer
Zarrar Kahn is a Canadian-Pakistani writer, director and producer whose debut film In Flames was Pakistan's entry for the 2024 Academy Awards, and the Canadian Screen Award winner of the John Dunning Best Debut Feature Award. The film premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Director’s Fortnight, where it was nominated for the Camera d’Or. A trailblazing festival run followed, including stops at TIFF, Busan and Sitges. Kahn was awarded the International Newcomer Award at Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival, as well as 'Best Picture' at Red Sea Film Festival. He is an alumnus of the TIFF Talent Lab, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Open Doors Locarno, Asian Film Academy and Director’s Lab program at the Canadian Film Centre. He is represented by UTA. Born in Karachi, and currently based out of Toronto, Kahn is committed to telling stories that amplify historically marginalized communities.
At what age did you know you wanted to work in film and television, and what led you to it?
I started out in theatre, writing and staging plays in both Pakistan and Canada. I was always attracted to storytelling, and film felt like the natural next step.
What was the first film/show you saw as a child that inspired or captivated you?
Matilda. I've always loved libraries.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I had a viral Kickstarter campaign for a short film that I was working on - it really jump started my career.
What’s the highlight of your career so far or the thing you’re most proud of?
Presenting In Flames at Cannes in 2023 was truly incredible.
Tell us how your first feature got made and the experience of showing it at Cannes and TIFF.
My feature was made through the Telefilm Talent to Watch program for first features (previously known as the micro-budget first feature grant). The journey of making it was a culmination of my 10-year journey of making short films in Pakistan, and travelling internationally across the festival circuit in support of those films, as well as attending film labs (Locarno, Busan, TIFF). We shot the film in February/March 2022, and presented it at Cannes in 2023 - and TIFF later that year. The experience of creating the film and sharing it with the world was a dream come true.
As a South Asian in this industry, how did you learn to navigate it on your own terms and forge your own path?
I've always believed in creating the stories that you want to tell, and not wait for permission. This does mean that the majority of my projects are self-produced, but I feel there is great freedom in producing.