Red Elephant
by Iqran Rasheed
Synopsis
Red Elephant follows a Pakistani queer man navigating the complexities of the Belgian asylum process while grappling with trauma and grief. As he awaits an interview that will determine his residency status, the film intertwines his daily life in Belgium with intimate phone calls to his family back home. Through experimental visuals and sound, the film explores the emotional toll of living in bureaucratic limbo, capturing both the personal and political dimensions of seeking asylum. Red Elephant is a deeply personal reflection on displacement, identity, and the search for stability in an uncertain world.
Biography
Iqran Rasheed is a Pakistani filmmaker, scriptwriter, and photographer based in Brussels. A recent graduate of the esteemed DocNomads program, he holds a Master’s degree in Documentary Film Directing. His creative work delves into critical and nuanced themes such as queer issues, gender and sexuality, masculinity, and human rights.
Iqran has actively participated in several prestigious film programs and workshops, reflecting his dedication to meaningful storytelling. In 2019, he was selected for the Goethe-Institut’s “Film Voices from Pakistan and Afghanistan” program, which fosters cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration among filmmakers from both nations. In 2020, he further showcased his commitment to social change through cinema by participating in Seeds of Peace’s workshop “Kitnay Duur Kitnay Paas,” aimed at peacebuilding through filmmaking between Pakistan and India. His expertise and perspective have also been recognized in the festival circuit, where he served as a jury member at the Rung Mukut International Film Festival in India and the United States Ismaili Arts Festival in the USA.