Darling, set in a dance theatre in Lahore, revolves around a young boy and a trans girl. It is the first ever Pakistani film to be an official selection and screen at any of the ‘Big Three’ film festivals. This is a term used for the Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals. The film’s cast includes upcoming actor Mehar Bano and Nadia Afgan. The main characters are Shani, played by Abdullah Malik, and Alina Darling, played by Alina Khan – a trans girl from Lahore who makes her acting debut with this film.
Watch Saim's acceptance speech below: