In July 2016, Islamic terrorists stormed a popular café in upscale Dhaka and held its patrons hostage, killing more than 20 people and sending shockwaves across the subcontinent. Faraaz is the youngest son of a rich, politically connected family. That evening, he meets his friends at the café and finds himself caught in the crossfire. How he reacts to the nightmarish situation forms the heart of the story. Offsetting nail-biting tension with unexpected humour – often at the expense of inept law-enforcement officials – Hansal Mehta (Aligarh, LFF 2015) brings his trademark sensitivity, nuance and empathy to this fictionalised retelling. It is particularly striking for the way it looks at religious extremism from the perspective of Muslims who have seen their faith questioned and demonised because of the actions of radical extremists.
Ona and Saule are best friends and passionate cooks who are stuck working at "Tasty", a local canteen. Ona is a single mother and Saulė is an enthusiastic girl from the countryside. One day, Saulė enrols them in a national TV cooking competition, which offers a restaurant as the grand prize. Without Ona's consent, she lies about their culinary experience. Reluctantly, Ona gives in to Saulė’s lies and they both manage to enter the competition. Despite being viewed as a joke, their popularity skyrockets on social media. As Ona becomes the audience’s favourite, tension between the friends escalates as it’s fuelled by the show's manipulative celebrity contestant, Bruknė. Ona even starts dating a French jury member, adding to the friction. Will their friendship survive the intense pressure of the competition?
Saad, a young Moroccan illegal immigrant, is planning a perilous journey to Canada with Reza, his Iranian lover. In Montreal, Saad is called upon to save his beloved from certain deportation to Iran, where inevitable punishment awaits.
Ona and Saule are best friends and passionate cooks who are stuck working at "Tasty", a local canteen. Ona is a single mother and Saulė is an enthusiastic girl from the countryside. One day, Saulė enrols them in a national TV cooking competition, which offers a restaurant as the grand prize. Without Ona's consent, she lies about their culinary experience. Reluctantly, Ona give...