Pakistani thriller 'Wakhri' lands releases in France, Britain, Australia and Brazil
Pakistan's thriller "Wakhri" is going global. The film has secured distribution in France, the U.K. and Ireland, Australia and Brazil, with theatrical and broadcast releases rolling out across autumn 2026, according to Variety.
In France, "Wakhri" reaches cinemas in October through Salon Indien. Salon Indien is a travelling film society devoted to work by South Asian women film-makers. It was launched by curatorial platform Contre-courants with François-Xavier Durandy to take selected titles to venues around France, Variety reported.
In Britain, the route to audiences is television. "Wakhri" is part of Channel 4's 2026 South Asian Film Season alongside "All We Imagine as Light" and "Songs of Forgotten Trees". It will be available to watch on Channel 4 in October, according to Variety.
The release pattern is different in each market. Distribution, the business of buying the right to show a film in a territory and putting it into cinemas or onto channels, is handled locally. SBS has acquired the film for Australia, while Filmicca has picked it up for Brazil. Further releases in North America and other markets are expected in the months ahead, Variety reported.
The film was written, directed and co-produced by Iram Parveen Bilal. It stars first-time leads Faryal Mehmood as Noor and Gulshan Majeed as Gucchi, Variety reported.
The story centres on a widowed teacher who raises her voice on social media, as described by Tribune. It draws on Pakistani women who stood up to strict social rules, including social media star Qandeel Baloch. That link gives the thriller its real-world starting point.
For viewers, this means several ways to find the same film. Cinema screenings in France. A broadcast slot in Britain. Local releases in Australia and Brazil. More stops to come.
What makes this stand out is the shape of the rollout. No single worldwide launch. Instead, a travelling showcase, a television season and two local buyers carry the film territory by territory. It is a common path for independent films outside the studio system, where each sale opens another door.
