{{short description|2026 Afghan drama film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = No Good Men | image = No Good Men film poster.jpg | caption = International promotional poster | native_name = | director = Shahrbanoo Sadat | producer = {{Plainlist| * Katja Adomeit * Balthasar Busmann * Maxi Haslberger }} | screenplay = Shahrbanoo Sadat | based_on = | starring = {{Plainlist| * Shahrbanoo Sadat * Anwar Hashimi * Liam Hussaini * Torkan Omari * Fatima Hassani * Yasin Negah }} | music = Therese Aune | cinematography = Virginie Surdej | editing = Alexandra Strauss | studio = {{Plainlist| * Adomeit Film * La Fabrica Nocturna Cinéma * Motlys AS / Novemberfilm - A Fremantle label * Amerikafilm, Wolf Pictures (AF) }} | distributor = Eksystent Filmverleih | released = {{Film date|df=y|2026|2|12|Berlinale|2026|8|27|Germany}} | runtime = 100 minutes<ref name="top:filmportal">{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmportal.de/en/movie/no-good-men_ff1876da59e54979a8dad3a5d2ef4445 |title=No Good Men, Germany France Denmark 2024/2025 Feature film |website= filmportal.de |date=5 December 2025|access-date=20 January 2026|language=en}}</ref> | country = {{Plainlist| * Germany * France * Norway * Denmark * Afghanistan }} | language = Dari | budget = | gross = }}
'''''No Good Men''''' is a 2026 autobiographical drama film written and directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat, based on Anwar Hashimi's writings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/berlin/rbb-weltpremiere-am-12-februar-no-good-men-eroeffnet-die-diesjaehrige-berlinale-100.html |title=Weltpremiere am 12. Februar: "No Good Men" eröffnet die diesjährige Berlinale |trans-title= World premiere on February 12: "No Good Men" opens this year's Berlinale|date=16 January 2026|access-date=20 January 2026|website= tagesschau.de |language=de}}</ref> Starring Sadat and Hashimi, it follows Naru, the only female camerawoman at a Kabul TV station, who is convinced there are no good men in Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/film/487702/ |title= No Good Men|first= Shahrbanoo|last=Sadat|date=16 January 2026|access-date=18 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref><ref name="biff:variety">{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2026/film/global/afghan-shahrbanoo-sadat-no-good-men-berlin-film-festival-1236632975/ |title=Berlin Film Festival to Open With Afghan Director Shahrbanoo Sadat's Romantic Comedy 'No Good Men'|author= Nick Vivarelli |work=Variety |date=16 January 2026 |access-date= 18 January 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
The film had its world premiere as the Opening Film of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 12 February 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/487668/ |title=Shahrbanoo Sadat's No Good Men to open the 76th Berlinale |first= Vassilis|last= Economou|date=16 January 2026|access-date=18 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref> It is scheduled to be theatrically released in Germany on 27 August.
==Synopsis== Naru, a 30‑year‑old camerawoman in Kabul before the 2021 Taliban offensive, feels trapped in a marriage to an unfaithful husband and unable to seek divorce without losing custody of her young son. After he publicly confronts her during a live broadcast, she cuts the transmission and is removed from the show. Reassigned to the news department, she begins working with Qodrat, a 50‑year‑old married reporter. As their relationship deepens, Naru is forced to reconsider her belief that there are no good men left in her world.
==Cast== * Shahrbanoo Sadat as Naru * Anwar Hashimi as Qodrat * Liam Hussaini as Liam * Torkan Omari as Anita * Fatima Hassani as Layla * Yasin Negah as News Manager
==Production== A co-production between Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, and Afghanistan, in 2021, the film was selected at the 18th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market as part of 35 new feature-film projects, which is an integral part of the European Film Market. In the program the film was first presented at Rotterdam's CineMart and later it was included as part of the special Rotterdam-Berlinale Express programme.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/396595/ |title=The 2021 Berlinale Co-Production Market goes online |first= Vassilis|last= Economou|date=18 January 2021|access-date=19 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref> In February 2021 the film also won Filmmore Post-production Award at The IFFR Pro awards of the 38th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam’s CineMart co-production market.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/397257/ |title=The digital 38th CineMart reveals its winners |first= Vassilis|last= Economou|date=8 February 2021|access-date=19 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2024, the film project was selected at the 11th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, which ran during the 81st Venice Film Festival, to round off their financing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/464109/ |title=The Venice Gap-Financing Market selects 61 projects|first=Camillo|last=De Marco |date=27 June 2024|access-date=19 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref>
In January 2025, it was selected at The Göteborg Film Festival’s Nordic Film Market in the Works in Progress category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/472034/ |title=Göteborg’s Nordic Film Market unveils its selection|first= Vassilis|last= Economou |date=13 January 2025|access-date=20 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref> In April 2025, the film was considered in the hunt for young talents in the official selection, the Directors’ Fortnight and the Critics’ Week at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/475842/ |title=Cannes plays a game of bluff seven days before unveiling its selection|first=Fabien |last=Lemercier|date=3 April 2025 |access-date=20 January 2026 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}</ref>
Principal photography began on 25 September 2024 on locations in Germany - Hamburg, Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony. Filming ended on 5 March 2025.<ref name="ten:crew">{{Cite web|url=https://www.crew-united.com/en/No-Good-Men__319845.html |title=No Good Men: Feature Film, 2024-2025, Romantic comedy, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway|website= Crew United |date= 5 December 2025|access-date=20 January 2026|language=en}}</ref> The districts of Wilhelmsburg and Rothenburgsort were depicted as backdrops of the Afghan capital, Kabul.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndr.de/kultur/film/berlinale-2026-eroeffnet-norddeutsch,berlinale-292.html |title="No Good Men": Berlinale 2026 eröffnet norddeutsch|trans-title= "No Good Men": Berlinale 2026 opens in northern Germany|date=17 January 2026|access-date=20 January 2026|website= Norddeutscher Rundfunk |language=de}}</ref>
==Release==
[[File:Pressekonferenz „No Good Man“.jpg|thumb|Press conference with the cast of ''No Good Men'' at the Berlinale 2026]]
''No Good Men'' had its world premiere on 12 February 2026, as part of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Special Gala as opening film.<ref name="biff:sd">{{cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/berlin-film-festival-2026-selects-opening-film/5212756.article |title= Berlin Film Festival 2026 selects opening film|author=Ben Dalton|date=16 January 2026 |access-date=18 January 2026 |website=ScreenDaily |language=en}}</ref><ref name="biff:hr">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlin-film-festival-2026-open-no-good-men-shahrbanoo-sadat-1236476138/ |title= Berlin Film Festival to Open With 'No Good Men' From Afghan Director Shahrbanoo Sadat|author=Georg Szalai |website= The Hollywood Reporter |date= 16 January 2026 |access-date= 18 January 2026|language=en}}</ref>
The film will be released in German theatres on 27 August 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/2026/news-press-releases/271853.html |title=Jan 16, 2026 No Good Men Opens the 76th Berlin International Film Festival|date=16 January 2026 |access-date=19 January 2026|website=Berlin International Film Festival |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title}} * {{Official website|https://adomeitfilm.com/nogoodmen/}} * [https://www.berlinale.de/en/2026/programme/202613960.html ''No Good Men''] at Berlinale
Category:2026 German films Category:2026 German-language films Category:2026 French films Category:2026 drama films Category:2026 Norwegian films Category:2020s Danish films Category:German drama films Category:French drama films Category:Norwegian drama films Category:Danish drama films Category:Afghan drama films Category:Dari-language films Category:Films set in Kabul Category:Films shot in Hamburg