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No Good Men

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No Good Men
International promotional poster
Directed byShahrbanoo Sadat
Screenplay byShahrbanoo Sadat
Produced by
  • Katja Adomeit
  • Balthasar Busmann
  • Maxi Haslberger
Starring
  • Shahrbanoo Sadat
  • Anwar Hashimi
  • Liam Hussaini
  • Torkan Omari
  • Fatima Hassani
  • Yasin Negah
CinematographyVirginie Surdej
Edited byAlexandra Strauss
Music byTherese Aune
Production
companies
  • Adomeit Film
  • La Fabrica Nocturna Cinéma
  • Motlys AS / Novemberfilm - A Fremantle label
  • Amerikafilm, Wolf Pictures (AF)
Distributed byEksystent Filmverleih
Release dates
  • 12 February 2026 (2026-02-12) (Berlinale)
  • 27 August 2026 (2026-08-27) (Germany)
Running time
100 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Germany
  • France
  • Norway
  • Denmark
  • Afghanistan
LanguageDari

No Good Men is a 2026 autobiographical drama film written and directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat, based on Anwar Hashimi's writings.[2] Starring Sadat and Hashimi, it follows Naru, the only female camerawoman at a Kabul TV station, who is convinced there are no good men in Afghanistan.[3][4]

The film had its world premiere as the Opening Film of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 12 February 2026.[5] It is scheduled to be theatrically released in Germany on 27 August.

Synopsis

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Naru, a 30‑year‑old camerawoman in Kabul before the 2021 Taliban offensive, is separated from her unfaithful husband but is unable to seek divorce for fear of losing custody of her young son. After making a minor scoop by managing to interview Afghan women in the streets, who wouldn't talk to male reporters, she's reassigned to the news department and begins working with Qodrat, a 50‑year‑old married reporter. As they work together, their relationship deepens and Naru may reconsider her belief that there are no good men left in her world.

Cast

[edit]
  • Shahrbanoo Sadat as Naru
  • Anwar Hashimi as Qodrat
  • Liam Hussaini as Liam
  • Torkan Omari as Anita
  • Fatima Hassani as Layla
  • Yasin Negah as News Manager

Production

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A co-production between Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, and Afghanistan, in 2021, the film was selected at the 18th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market as part of 35 new feature-film projects, which is an integral part of the European Film Market. In the program the film was first presented at Rotterdam's CineMart and later it was included as part of the special Rotterdam-Berlinale Express programme.[6] In February 2021 the film also won Filmmore Post-production Award at The IFFR Pro awards of the 38th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam’s CineMart co-production market.[7]

In June 2024, the film project was selected at the 11th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, which ran during the 81st Venice Film Festival, to round off their financing.[8]

In January 2025, it was selected at The Göteborg Film Festival’s Nordic Film Market in the Works in Progress category.[9] In April 2025, the film was considered in the hunt for young talents in the official selection, the Directors’ Fortnight and the Critics’ Week at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.[10]

Principal photography began on 25 September 2024 on locations in Germany - Hamburg, Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony. Filming ended on 5 March 2025.[11] The districts of Wilhelmsburg and Rothenburgsort were depicted as backdrops of the Afghan capital, Kabul.[12]

Release

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Press conference with the cast of No Good Men at the Berlinale 2026

No Good Men had its world premiere on 12 February 2026, as part of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Special Gala as opening film.[13][14]

The film was presented at the Sydney Film Festival on 4 June 2026 in Official Competition, where it competed for The Sydney Film Prize.[15] It will be screened at the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, in the Open Air section in August 2026.[16]

The film will be released in German theatres on 27 August 2026.[17]

Reception

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Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film with 4 stars out of 5 and wrote, "This is a contemporary romance and the kind of film that tells you things about Afghanistan that aren’t covered in our own nightly news."[18] Guy Lodge reviewing at Berlin Film Festival, for Variety wrote, "The film feels all the more textured and vitally of its moment for its flaws and lapses."[19]

References

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  1. ↑ "No Good Men, Germany France Denmark 2024/2025 Feature film". filmportal.de. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "Weltpremiere am 12. Februar: "No Good Men" eröffnet die diesjährige Berlinale" [World premiere on February 12: "No Good Men" opens this year's Berlinale]. tagesschau.de (in German). 16 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Sadat, Shahrbanoo (16 January 2026). "No Good Men". Cineuropa. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  4. ↑ Nick Vivarelli (16 January 2026). "Berlin Film Festival to Open With Afghan Director Shahrbanoo Sadat's Romantic Comedy 'No Good Men'". Variety. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Economou, Vassilis (16 January 2026). "Shahrbanoo Sadat's No Good Men to open the 76th Berlinale". Cineuropa. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  6. ↑ Economou, Vassilis (18 January 2021). "The 2021 Berlinale Co-Production Market goes online". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  7. ↑ Economou, Vassilis (8 February 2021). "The digital 38th CineMart reveals its winners". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  8. ↑ De Marco, Camillo (27 June 2024). "The Venice Gap-Financing Market selects 61 projects". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  9. ↑ Economou, Vassilis (13 January 2025). "Göteborg's Nordic Film Market unveils its selection". Cineuropa. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  10. ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (3 April 2025). "Cannes plays a game of bluff seven days before unveiling its selection". Cineuropa. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "No Good Men: Feature Film, 2024-2025, Romantic comedy, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway". Crew United. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  12. ↑ ""No Good Men": Berlinale 2026 eröffnet norddeutsch" ["No Good Men": Berlinale 2026 opens in northern Germany]. Norddeutscher Rundfunk (in German). 17 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  13. ↑ Ben Dalton (16 January 2026). "Berlin Film Festival 2026 selects opening film". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Georg Szalai (16 January 2026). "Berlin Film Festival to Open With 'No Good Men' From Afghan Director Shahrbanoo Sadat". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  15. ↑ "Papaya". Sydney Film Festival. 4 June 2026. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Lily Ford (3 August 2026). "Sarajevo Unveils Open Air Program, Including Diego Luna's 'Ashes,' 'Minotaur' and 'No Good Men'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Jan 16, 2026 No Good Men Opens the 76th Berlin International Film Festival". Berlin International Film Festival. 16 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  18. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (17 February 2026). "No Good Men review – intelligent and urgent Afghan romance". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Lodge, Guy (12 February 2026). "'No Good Men' Review: Unexpected Berlinale Opener Finds Love in a Hopeless Patriarchy". Variety. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
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