The 68th Cannes Film Festival will now be screening three films from Pakistan, as Hashim Nadeem’s Abdullah: The Final Witness starring Imran Abbas will be also be screened.
The film, which also stars Saadia Khan, Hameed Sheikh and Sajid Hasan, is based on Nadeem’s novel Abdullah. The story revolves around the infamous Kharotabad incident on May 17, 2011 which took the lives of five Russians and Tajik citizens at the Kharotabad check post in Quetta, who were considered terrorists by the Frontier Constabulary (FC). The incident was filmed by a journalist and caused a lot of speculation regarding the shooting.
While two other films Baat Cheet and Holiday in December will be screened in the Short Film Corner, Abdullah: The Final Witness is the only feature-length film from Pakistan.
Hashim Nadeem is known for his novel Khuda Aur Muhabbat, which was also made into a drama. He has also penned other novels, tele-films and drama serials, with novels Khuda and Muhabbat and Bachpan Ka December being popular internationally as well.
Imran Abbas will represent Abdullah: The Final Witness at the Cannes Film Festival, which begins tomorrow.