No Good Men

Afghanistan, 2021, shortly before the Taliban’s return to power. Naru, the only camerawoman at Kabul’s main TV station, is struggling to retain custody of her three-year-old son. After leaving her serially cheating husband, she has become convinced that no good men exist in her country. Naru is therefore caught off guard when Qodrat, Kabul TV’s most important journalist, offers her a career opportunity. As the two criss-cross the city reporting on its last days of freedom, sparks fly between them and Naru starts to doubt her conviction. Could there be a good man out there after all?

This sharply perceptive and politically engaged film has a surprising and disorientating style, with sudden shifts in atmosphere. This proves to be a spot-on approach. Director and actress Sadat makes a clear point about the situation of women in Afghanistan, which has only worsened since the Taliban took power.