Top News

The Pakistani short film Permanent Guestrevolving around the sensitive issue of child sexual abuse, will be screened at the annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Canada.

The film features acclaimed actors including Rasti Farooq, Nadia Afghan, Salman Shahid, Ali Tahir, and Hubaya Zahra.

Permanent Guest highlights deep human emotions through a story that explores the long-lasting impact of child sexual abuse within South Asian households — a topic rarely portrayed with such nuance on screen.

Written and directed by Sana Jafri, who has previously worked as co-producer and casting director for the film Joylandthe film is set in Lahore.

The story centers on 26-year-old Fateen and her mother Yasmin, who are busy preparing for a neighborhood wedding when Fateen’s 70-year-old uncle Shabbir arrives at their home. His arrival reopens old wounds for the protagonist and creates tension throughout the narrative.

There jafri exposed that Permanent Guest portrays a silent conflict between two generations: the elders who have normalized silence and the young women who quietly bear the burden but resist internally.

She shared that through the film; she wanted to explore how child sexual abuse creates a lasting and often invisible fear in South Asian homes.

According to her, the story is not only about pain but also about a behavior where people refuse to accept the truth. This silence, over time, leaves survivors isolated yet resilient.

Jafri added that the story is very personal to her, but unfortunately, it is also very common. She hopes that the film will help break this silence.

This project is a strong symbol of the strength and resilience of Pakistan’s independent film scene. The film was made entirely through public funding without the support of any government body, major media house, or commercial investor, with most of the support coming from Pakistani citizens and the global Pakistani diaspora.

Sana Jafri further said that Permanent Guest proves that Pakistani audiences, especially women, eagerly seek stories that present their realities in a raw and unfiltered manner.

This year, TIFF celebrates its 50th anniversary. In its five-decade history, only two Pakistani short films have had their world premieres at the festival — Saim Sadiq’s Darling and Zhar’s Bhai.

Permanent Guest is the third film and marks a milestone as Sana Jafri becomes the first Pakistani woman to present a short film at TIFF.

We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com