A dramatic political story, romance and subtle humour: Shahrbanoo Sadat combines many elements in a captivating way in the 2026 Berlinale opening film. The Afghan-born director and actress searches the streets of Kabul for good men – the result is more than disillusioning.
“What actually makes a good man?” I ask an acquaintance on the evening after the press screening of No Good Men. The question has been on my mind all day. He answers within seconds: “Taking responsibility.”Right from the opening credits of No Good Men (2026), flowers of all colours, sizes and shapes bloom on the Berlinale screen. “Don't pull the petals off,” Naru asks her three-year-old son Liam in the first sentence of the film, which celebrated its world premiere at the opening of the 76th Berlinale. In it, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat asks whether there are still good men in Afghanistan.
Make-Up Against Despair
The story takes place on Valentine's Day. Liam is holding a red rose that he wants to give to his teacher. He is wearing a lion costume; Simba, a character from The Lion King, is pictured on his backpack. Naru's little “lion” seems to be the only man she still trusts and whom she protects like a lioness. After separating from her husband, the young woman fights for custody of Liam. The story begins in 2021, shortly before the Taliban regains power in Afghanistan.Naru, played by Sadat herself, is the only female camerawoman working for Kabul TV. “Wear a lot of make-up,” advises an expert to a desperate caller whose husband barely pays her any attention after her second pregnancy. Naru works as a camerawoman for a women's programme. Unlike her colleagues, she does not wear make-up; she rejects long hair because she sees it as a symbol of male violence. “Imagine a woman as a flower. With each pregnancy, she loses a petal,” the doctor continues. At that moment, Naru realises that she cannot continue in this job. She asks the editor-in-chief for a different position.
Violence Instead of Love
By chance, she gets the opportunity to accompany her colleague Qodrat to an exclusive interview. Despite initial scepticism, he agrees. But the interviewee cancels at short notice because Naru's headscarf does not completely cover her hair. On the way back, Qodrat asks her to conduct a street survey about Valentine's Day. Roses are being sold everywhere – but no one can say what love actually means. The women interviewed report violent husbands, a lack of expressions of love, child marriages. Naru asks questions to which she herself has long since found the answers. It seems as if she is seeking collective awareness rather than confirmation.Despite the serious subject matter, Sadat manages to offer insights into everyday life in Kabul while also telling a feel-good story and a love story, with many funny moments arising from the contrast with society's strict norms.
Of Flowers and Lions
With this film, Sadat wanted to portray a woman in whom she recognises herself. The symbolism of the flower runs through the entire film. The motif of the lion also recurs – for example, as a small cuddly toy on the rear-view mirror in Qodrat's car. Can a patriarchal system change if a single woman questions it? Does a man have to say no first before a woman gets a chance? “That's just how our country is. Do you know what country you're in? Don't you feel more comfortable at the family table?” Such statements characterise the attitude Naru is fighting against. Qodrat is the first good man she has ever met. He reflects on his behaviour and changes his attitude towards her.
Berlinale press conference “No good men” | Photo: © Sofia Kleftaki
February 2026