Arifa

An off-kilter, darkly funny story of a young British-Pakistani woman navigating her way through life. Arifa is a woman still finding her way in the world. Unlucky in love, things scarcely seem to improve when she becomes entangled with mysterious ‘professional gamer’ Riccardo. Just like the other men in her life – namely her absentee, bootlegging father Hameed – evasiveness and commitment issues are everywhere. As she unpicks the issues she encounters in her life, helped in part by her counsellor Shabana, Arifa will find herself growing up, and realising that things don’t always turn out as you might expect.

Directed by Sadia Saeed, Arifa leans on a strong ensemble — Shermin Hassan — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2017.