AppleTV+ has released the trailer for Minhal Baig’s drama Hala. The film follows Pakistani American teenager Hala (Geraldine Viswanathan) trying to come to grips with her community and upbringing as she makes a startling discovery about her father. I caught the film at Sundance earlier this year, and while I had high hopes for it due to the subject matter and Viswanathan in the lead, I felt slightly underwhelmed by the lack of character development and clear storytelling. From my review: What I liked most about Hala and what I wish it did more was simply let me into …

I like the idea of Hala more than I actually like Hala. Minhal Baig’s coming-of-age story starts at a strong point by following a teenage Muslim girl in America discovering her sexuality and sense of identity, but the script never fully fleshes out the characters or the story. Instead, Hala always remains stuck at the idea phase, never bringing the characters to life. Although the film features a strong lead performance from Geraldine Viswanathan, Hala feels at least several drafts away from fully realizing its potential. Hala (Viswanathan) is a senior in high school, a talented writer …