Women International Film Festival 2026 set to begin in Islamabad with powerful lineup

2026-02-11 - 07:06

ISLAMABAD – The highly anticipated 10th edition of the Women International Film Festival will kick off in Islamabad at the Silk Road Culture Center on 14 February 2026, showcasing a series of thought-provoking films highlighting the strength, resilience, and struggles of women worldwide. The festival, spanning across two days (Feb 14 and 15), will present an array of films that delve deep into complex societal issues faced by women, from gender equality to the challenges of motherhood, personal identity, and societal expectations. Day 1 Lineup The opening day of the festival, 14 February 2026, promises a rich selection of films. 4:45 PM – Jannat Ahmed | “The Knitted Tales” Amid war and separation, a young girl’s imagination and her father’s recorded voice on a cassette help her endure absence and uncertainty. 5:56 PM – Lou Cottu | “Artifact” In a contemporary art museum, visitors admire what they believe is a performance artwork: a homeless man asleep in the gallery. When he wakes and joins them, the illusion collapses. Discomfort and prejudice reveal the fragile line between art and humanity. 6:06 PM – Raheleh Karami | “Birthday” On her daughter’s birthday, an Iranian mother’s attempt at a simple day of celebration turns into a confrontation with a society that refuses to let her exist freely in public. 6:20 PM – Gayoung Heo | “First Summer” Yeongsun’s longtime dance partner and lover, Haksu, suddenly dies, leaving her in shock and reflection. As she learns of his 49th-day memorial, which coincides with her granddaughter’s wedding, Yeongsun begins to confront loss and reconsider her own life. 7:06 PM – Javaria Waseem | “A B C” A woman teaches a ghost classroom while struggling to find the Urdu word for a crime that has haunted society for decades. 7:13 PM – Mina Hoseini Moghaddam | “The Blisters” A 30-year-old woman caring for her elderly mother gets help from a stranger to move her mother. When the man’s wallet goes missing, tension arises between them, testing trust and responsibility. 7:32 PM – Seemab Gul | “Ghost School” When ten-year-old Rabia finds her village school closed, rumors spread that it’s haunted and her teacher is possessed by a Jinn. This fable is a ghost story with a tinge of magical realism, exploring corruption from a child’s perspective. 9:01 PM – Aizada Amangeldy | “The Seventh Month” In a society where motherhood defines a woman’s worth, a woman who cannot conceive hides the truth by pretending to be pregnant, risking everything as her secret nears exposure. 9:16 PM – Camille Lagaisse | “Careful” When a secret feminist group assigns Lucie her first mission – to lure an unpunished abuser into a trap – the lines between justice, healing, and revenge begin to blur. Day 2 Lineup On 15 February 2026, Day 2 will bring more compelling narratives to the screen: 4:45 PM – Seema Farooq | “Ezmarai” In a patriarchal Pashtun society, a widowed mother struggles to survive, provide, and protect her daughter. Through resilience and quiet defiance, she shapes her daughter’s strength, ensuring that courage and perseverance endure across generations. 4:57 PM – Xoori K. Sarhadi | “Dear Abu – ڈئیر اَبُّو” Based on a true story, the film follows a daughter who, on the twelfth anniversary of her father’s death, confronts years of unspoken grief by writing letters to him at her mother’s urging. What begins as remembrance becomes a quiet journey of healing, exploring love, loss, and the enduring bonds between generations. 5:27 PM – Celia Galan | “Gynoid” Two strangers participate in an experiment by an AI corporation to identify which of them is a gynoid – a female-looking humanoid robot. As both insist they are human, the line between machine and person becomes increasingly blurred. 5:48 PM – Elham Mohamadzade | “The Weekend” Arman goes to his mother’s house as usual for the weekend, but Nasreen and her husband must leave for the airport to catch a flight for their immigration visa to Canada. 6:20 PM – Regina Del Gaudio | “Omomori” On her twentieth birthday, a young woman is drawn into a mysterious board game that forces her to confront her deepest fears and desires. 6:39 PM – Mahsa Ahmadzadeh | “Hidden Moon” Eight-year-old Mahsa, who has never met her mother, sets out to find her – only to uncover a painful and unexpected truth. 6:57 PM – Ayesha Farooq | “Ismail” Blending interviews and reenactments, a young man’s journey in a city with few opportunities reveals how failure can become a catalyst for unconventional success. 7:11 PM – Soudabeh Kamrani | “Doctor on Duty” When a teenage girl seeks an abortion, a women’s health specialist is thrust into an unrelenting hospital shift that exposes the limits of choice and autonomy. Completed before the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, it reflects a pivotal moment in time. 7:22 PM – Aisha Hamid | “Ponytail” While grieving her mother, a woman reconnects with her estranged father and uncovers a truth that reshapes their fragile bond. 7:42 PM – Shanice Kamminga | “Everything Before Us” After a chance encounter with seven-year-old Lisa, Freya begins to see her own strained relationship with her depressed mother in a completely different light. 7:56 PM – Shyne Briones, Giovani Carrillo | “Menudo” As prom approaches, 17-year-old Nima, battling body dysmorphia, finds unexpected healing while caring for her grandmother after a stroke. 8:17 PM – Sigrid Klausmann, Lina Luzyte | “Girls Don’t Cry” Across cultures and borders, adolescent girls confront identity, puberty, pressure, and tradition as they fight for autonomy over their bodies and futures. 9:21 PM – Chih Yu Liu | “Top Floor” A poignant short film where a dying girl and a living girl meet on the top floor, navigating a delicate conversation to understand each other’s worlds. Ticket Prices The tickets for attending the Women International Film Festival 2026 can be purchased form online portal of ticketwala. For Day 1, which is on 14th February 2026, a standard ticket is available for Rs 1,050, allowing access to the screenings scheduled for that day. Similarly, for Day 2, which will be held on 15th February 2026, a standard ticket is also priced at Rs 1,050, providing access to the screenings on that particular day. For those looking to attend both days of the festival, a Full Access Ticket is available for Rs 1,500.