Zarrar Kahn Targets the Manosphere in TIFF-Bound Romantic Comedy 'The Lion Does Not Concern Himself'

A gym coach moonlights as a toxic podcaster — convinced it is his only shot at cultural relevance — until a new client walks in and upends everything. That is the premise of "The Lion Does Not Concern Himself," a Canadian romantic comedy from writer-director Zarrar Kahn set to world-premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, programmed in Short Cuts Program 03 (The Playlist).

A trailer debuted on 6 August via TIFF's official YouTube channel as part of its TIFF 2026 trailer coverage (TIFF YouTube). Variety followed with full details on 12 August (Variety).

Kahn directed, co-wrote, and co-edited the film, which was shot at a gym on Queen West in Toronto (Variety). Lauren Saarimaki of POV Film produces, with Mina Husain of Suno Studios executive producing. CityLights Media handles world sales and festival bookings — the international market side of the business, where a sales agent licenses a finished film territory by territory to distributors.

The concept originated with Mohammad Ali Hashmi, the film's Toronto-based writer and lead actor and a frequent Kahn collaborator. Hashmi was struck by the sheer volume of incel propaganda — content promoting involuntary celibate ideology, often rooted in misogyny — that he encountered after joining a new gym. The title itself is drawn from a "Game of Thrones" line that went viral on TikTok, a tongue-in-cheek nod to manosphere culture, the loose online network of forums and influencers centred on male grievance (Variety).

Kahn described the film in a director's statement as "sort of about the manosphere, sort of about the gender divide, and sort of about the inherent goofiness of falling in love" (Variety).

This is a return to TIFF's Short Cuts strand for Kahn. His debut feature, "In Flames," premiered at Cannes and subsequently screened at Toronto, establishing him as a film-maker to track on the festival circuit, where premieres function as a marketplace for distributors and sales agents (Variety).

CityLights Media is also behind Kahn's next project: a climate thriller titled "Suffering Is Optional," starring Iman Vellani, set to begin production in early 2027 (Variety).

TIFF 2026 runs in Toronto this September. "The Lion Does Not Concern Himself" screens as part of Short Cuts Program 03, alongside a slate of short films selected by the festival's programmers (TIFF).