Exclusive: Trailblazing Pakistani movie Joyland has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope.
After becoming the first Pakistani movie to debut at Cannes, where it was awarded the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category, and the Queer Palm, the film made more history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to make the Academy longlist for Best International Feature.
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and executive-produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Ramin Bahrani and Jemima Khan, the film charts the story of the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family who takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque. He quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. Starring are Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan.
Oscilloscope is planning a traditional theatrical release for the film later this year. WME Independent handled domestic rights and brokered the...
After becoming the first Pakistani movie to debut at Cannes, where it was awarded the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category, and the Queer Palm, the film made more history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to make the Academy longlist for Best International Feature.
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and executive-produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Ramin Bahrani and Jemima Khan, the film charts the story of the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family who takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque. He quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. Starring are Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan.
Oscilloscope is planning a traditional theatrical release for the film later this year. WME Independent handled domestic rights and brokered the...
- 1/6/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Film deemed ‘repugnant’ by country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Pakistan’s Film Producers Association has begun lobbying to overturn a ban on the release of Joyland in cinemas in the country.
Saim Sadiq’s Joyland, Pakistan’s official entry to the Oscars, was banned from release in the country last week.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a statement on November 11 saying it had received written complaints that the film “contains highly objectionable material which do not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society.”
It added the film is “clearly repugnant to...
Pakistan’s Film Producers Association has begun lobbying to overturn a ban on the release of Joyland in cinemas in the country.
Saim Sadiq’s Joyland, Pakistan’s official entry to the Oscars, was banned from release in the country last week.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a statement on November 11 saying it had received written complaints that the film “contains highly objectionable material which do not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society.”
It added the film is “clearly repugnant to...
- 11/14/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Hamza Bangash is a Pakistani – Canadian writer, director, and producer based in Karachi. His short Dia (2018) had it’s World Premiere at Locarno, following a critically-acclaimed tour over a dozen festivals. He is an alum of Locarno Open Doors (2018) and of the inaugural Talents from Afghanistan-Pakistan Fellowship by Prince Claus Fund and Goethe Institute (2017-2018).
On the occasion of his latest film, “1978” screening at Locarno Film Festival, we speak with him about the Karachi of the 70s, the political situation in Pakistan, the music and the visuals of the film, Norman D’Souza, and many other topics.
Why did you decide to shoot a film that takes place in 1978, and why to base the protagonist on Norman D’Souza? Has he watched the film? What did he think?
The idea to do a period film came after I met with Rashid Maqsood Hamidi, 1978’s Executive producer. He grew up in the 70’s in Pakistan,...
On the occasion of his latest film, “1978” screening at Locarno Film Festival, we speak with him about the Karachi of the 70s, the political situation in Pakistan, the music and the visuals of the film, Norman D’Souza, and many other topics.
Why did you decide to shoot a film that takes place in 1978, and why to base the protagonist on Norman D’Souza? Has he watched the film? What did he think?
The idea to do a period film came after I met with Rashid Maqsood Hamidi, 1978’s Executive producer. He grew up in the 70’s in Pakistan,...
- 8/12/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Simone Baumann to replace new Berlinale director Mariette Rissenbeek at German Films.
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
- 12/4/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Simone Baumann to replace new Berlinale director Mariette Rissenbeek at German Films.
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
- 12/4/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Min Bahadur Bham’s female survival road movie “A Year of Cold” and Siddiq Barmak’s family drama “The Postman” are among the eight projects selected from South Asia selected by Locarno’s Open Doors Hub co-production forum to be offered for international partnerships.
This year five of the projects are closely tied to gender-related issues, marking an emerging trend in a patriarchal-dominant region. Pakistan heads the selection with two projects.
“A Year of Cold” is the sophomore directorial effort of Min Bahadur Bham, whose coming-of-age debut “The Black Hen” hit Venice Critics Week in 2015 taking the Fedeora award, and was Nepal’s 2016 Oscar submission.
Nepal-based Shooney Films (“The Black Hen”) is behind “A Year of Cold.” Set against the background of the Himalayas, and a strongly patriarchal rural society, the feature turns on a Tibetan woman refugee forced for legal reasons to find her missing husband, accompanied by her now de facto husband,...
This year five of the projects are closely tied to gender-related issues, marking an emerging trend in a patriarchal-dominant region. Pakistan heads the selection with two projects.
“A Year of Cold” is the sophomore directorial effort of Min Bahadur Bham, whose coming-of-age debut “The Black Hen” hit Venice Critics Week in 2015 taking the Fedeora award, and was Nepal’s 2016 Oscar submission.
Nepal-based Shooney Films (“The Black Hen”) is behind “A Year of Cold.” Set against the background of the Himalayas, and a strongly patriarchal rural society, the feature turns on a Tibetan woman refugee forced for legal reasons to find her missing husband, accompanied by her now de facto husband,...
- 7/25/2018
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
By Thom Powers
“Resistance is a key theme in this year’s documentaries,” said Tiff Docs Programmer Thom Powers. “We pay witness to rebels challenging the status quo in art, politics, sexuality, religion, fashion, sports and entertainment. They speak powerfully to our times as audiences seek inspirations for battling powerful and corrupt systems.”
Tiff’s 2017 documentary lineup goes deep into the lives of boundary-pushing characters — Grace Jones, Jim Carrey, Jane Goodall, and Eric Clapton, to name only a few of the most famous. But the celebrity factor isn’t enough to make a great film. What sets these docs apart is their directors’ ability to a bring fresh perspective.
Azmaish: A Journey through the SubcontinentBoom For Real The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Then there are figures whose names you may not recognize, but they become unforgettable after you see them on screen. They include Scotty Bowers, who was...
“Resistance is a key theme in this year’s documentaries,” said Tiff Docs Programmer Thom Powers. “We pay witness to rebels challenging the status quo in art, politics, sexuality, religion, fashion, sports and entertainment. They speak powerfully to our times as audiences seek inspirations for battling powerful and corrupt systems.”
Tiff’s 2017 documentary lineup goes deep into the lives of boundary-pushing characters — Grace Jones, Jim Carrey, Jane Goodall, and Eric Clapton, to name only a few of the most famous. But the celebrity factor isn’t enough to make a great film. What sets these docs apart is their directors’ ability to a bring fresh perspective.
Azmaish: A Journey through the SubcontinentBoom For Real The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Then there are figures whose names you may not recognize, but they become unforgettable after you see them on screen. They include Scotty Bowers, who was...
- 8/3/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
ThelmaA selection of films from the 2017 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has been unveiled, with new films by Sebastián Lelio, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Darren Aronofsky, Greta Gerwig, Guillermo Del Toro, Joachim Trier, Wim Wenders, and many more.Special PRESENTATIONSOpening Night: Ladybird (Greta Gerwig)Closing Night: Sheikh Jackson (Amr Salama)Battle of the Sexes (Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton)Bpm (Beats Per Minute) (Robin Campillo)The Brawler (Anurag Kashyap)The Breadwinner (Nora Twomey)Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagnino)Catch the Wind (Gaël Morel)The Children Act (Richard Eyre)The Current War (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)Disobedience (Sebastián Lelio)Downsizing (Alexander Payne)A Fantastic Woman (Sebastián Lelio)First They Killed My Father (Angelina Jolie)The Guardians (Xavier Beauvois)Hostiles (Scott Cooper)The Hungry (Bornila Chatterjee)I, Tonya (Craig Gillespie)Mother! (Darren Aronofsky)Novitiate (Maggie Betts)Omerta (Hansal Mehta)Plonger (Mélanie Laurent)The Price of Success (Teddy Lussi-Modeste)Professor Marston & the Wonder Women...
- 8/3/2017
- MUBI
Following an initial round of premieres and the announcement that Borg vs. McEnroe will open Toronto International Film Festival 2017, they’ve now announced their lineup for Midnight Madness and Documentaries. Leading the pack of our most-anticipated among midnight tiles is Brawl in Cell Block 99, which is S. Craig Zahler’s follow-up to Bone Tomahawk and will premiere at Venice beforehand. There’s also the latest film from Joseph Kahn, Bodied, which will open the sidebar, and the first trailer has landed.
On the documentary side, there is Frederick Wiseman’s Ex Libris – The New York Public Library, as well as new films from Morgan Spurlock, Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp), Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck), and more. Check out the new additions below, along with images and trailers where available.
Midnight Madness
Midnight Madness Opening Film
Bodied Joseph Kahn, USA
World Premiere
Our #TIFF17 Midnight Madness Opening Night Film is @JosephKahn’s Bodied,...
On the documentary side, there is Frederick Wiseman’s Ex Libris – The New York Public Library, as well as new films from Morgan Spurlock, Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp), Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck), and more. Check out the new additions below, along with images and trailers where available.
Midnight Madness
Midnight Madness Opening Film
Bodied Joseph Kahn, USA
World Premiere
Our #TIFF17 Midnight Madness Opening Night Film is @JosephKahn’s Bodied,...
- 8/2/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Morgan Spurlock re-engages with the food industry, James Franco digs into the ‘worst film ever made’.
Top brass at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) unveiled on Tuesday selections in the Tiff Docs, Midnight Madness, and Short Cuts programmes.
The Canadian titles that are part of this year’s programme will be announced on August 9. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to run from September 7-17 and will open with Borg/McEnroe.
Tiff Docs
The world premiere of Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! joins a marquee Tiff Docs roster from renowned filmmakers that opens with Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight And Bami.
Selections include Brett Morgen’s profile of primatologist Jane Goodall in Jane; the story of three Hasidic Jews who attempt to join the secular world in One Of Us by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady; Violeta Ayala’s Bolivian drug trade film Cocaine Prison; and Emmanuel Gras’ closing film Makala...
Top brass at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) unveiled on Tuesday selections in the Tiff Docs, Midnight Madness, and Short Cuts programmes.
The Canadian titles that are part of this year’s programme will be announced on August 9. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to run from September 7-17 and will open with Borg/McEnroe.
Tiff Docs
The world premiere of Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! joins a marquee Tiff Docs roster from renowned filmmakers that opens with Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight And Bami.
Selections include Brett Morgen’s profile of primatologist Jane Goodall in Jane; the story of three Hasidic Jews who attempt to join the secular world in One Of Us by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady; Violeta Ayala’s Bolivian drug trade film Cocaine Prison; and Emmanuel Gras’ closing film Makala...
- 8/1/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
They are two of the Toronto International Film Festival’s wildest sections — for very different reasons — and this year’s slate of both Midnight Madness and Documentary offerings appear to signal another strong lineup for the festival. Thrills, chills, terror, and scares await movie-goers, all care of unbelievable real-life stories and slightly less true tales for genre fans of all stripes.
This year’s Midnight Madness section will open with Joseph Kahn’s provocative World Premiere of “Bodied,” and also offers up the World Premiere of “The Disaster Artist,” directed by James Franco and based on the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film, “The Room.” (The film previously screened as a work-in-progress at SXSW.)
Read MoreTIFF Reveals First Slate of 2017 Titles, Including ‘The Shape of Water,’ ‘Downsizing,’ and ‘Call Me By Your Name’
In his first year as programmer, Peter Kuplowsky is also welcoming back several fest alumni, including David Bruckner,...
This year’s Midnight Madness section will open with Joseph Kahn’s provocative World Premiere of “Bodied,” and also offers up the World Premiere of “The Disaster Artist,” directed by James Franco and based on the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film, “The Room.” (The film previously screened as a work-in-progress at SXSW.)
Read MoreTIFF Reveals First Slate of 2017 Titles, Including ‘The Shape of Water,’ ‘Downsizing,’ and ‘Call Me By Your Name’
In his first year as programmer, Peter Kuplowsky is also welcoming back several fest alumni, including David Bruckner,...
- 8/1/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Ben & Joshua Safdie's Good TimeThe lineup for the 2017 festival has been revealed, including new films by Wang Bing, Radu Jude, Raúl Ruiz and others, alongside retrospectives and tributes dedicated to Jean-Marie Straub, Jacques Tourneur and much more.Piazza GRANDEAmori che non sonno stare al mondo (Francesca Comencini, Italy)Atomic Blonde (David Leitch, USA)Chien (Samuel Benchetrit, France/Belgium)Demain et tous les autres jours (Noémie Lvovsky, France)Drei Zinnen (Jan Zabeil, Germany/Italy)Good Time (Ben & Joshua Safdie, USA)Gotthard - One Life, One Soul (Kevin Merz, Switzerland)I Walked with a Zombie (Jacques Tourneur, USA)Iceman (Felix Randau, Germany/Italy/Austria)Laissez bronzer les cadavres (Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani, Belgium/France)Lola Pater (Nadir Moknèche, France/Belgium)Sicilia! (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet, Italy/France/Germany)Sparring (Samuel Jouy, France)The Big Sick (Michael Showalter, USA)The Song of Scorpions (Anup Singh, Switzerland/France/Singapore)What Happed to Monday (Tommy Wirkola,...
- 7/12/2017
- MUBI
Exclusive: Paris-based producer Alexa Rivero will co-produce Amit Dutta’s The Invisible One through her newly-established production company Altamar Films.
Rivero worked as a line producer on Asghar Farhadi’s The Past and was also production manager on films such as Javier Fuentes-León’s Undertow (2009) and Mehdi Ben Attia’s The String (2009).
She will produce The Invisible One with Mumbai-based Anjali Panjabi, who executive produced Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi and line produced Mira Nair’s segment in omnibus film Words With Gods.
The Invisible One received Hubert Bals funding for script and project development in 2012 and has been selected for this year’s Co-production Market at Film Bazaar. It tells the story of a young man who moves to the big city and is forced to rent a room built on top of a tree.
Rivero worked as a line producer on Asghar Farhadi’s The Past and was also production manager on films such as Javier Fuentes-León’s Undertow (2009) and Mehdi Ben Attia’s The String (2009).
She will produce The Invisible One with Mumbai-based Anjali Panjabi, who executive produced Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi and line produced Mira Nair’s segment in omnibus film Words With Gods.
The Invisible One received Hubert Bals funding for script and project development in 2012 and has been selected for this year’s Co-production Market at Film Bazaar. It tells the story of a young man who moves to the big city and is forced to rent a room built on top of a tree.
- 11/21/2014
- ScreenDaily
Mira Nair-produced Three And A Half and Amitav Kaul’s Interpreter Of Maladies are among the 32 projects selected for the Co-production Market of this year’s Film Bazaar (Nov 20-24) in Goa, India.
Three And A Half will be directed by Mira Nair’s long-time collaborator Sooni Taraporewala, while Interpreter Of Maladies is based on Pultizer Prize-winner Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story.
Organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), the co-production market has previously selected projects such as Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, Kanu Behl’s Cannes title Titli and Chaitanya Tamhane’s recent Venice winner Court. This year’s selection comprises 18 projects from India and 14 from overseas.
The Indian line-up also includes six projects previously selected for Nfdc Screenwriters Lab, such as Aamir Bashir’s Winter and The Boyfriend from Vidur Nauriyal and Ashim Ahluwalia.
The international line-up includes two projects from the Us, two from Sri Lanka and projects from Pakistan, Afghanistan...
Three And A Half will be directed by Mira Nair’s long-time collaborator Sooni Taraporewala, while Interpreter Of Maladies is based on Pultizer Prize-winner Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story.
Organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), the co-production market has previously selected projects such as Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, Kanu Behl’s Cannes title Titli and Chaitanya Tamhane’s recent Venice winner Court. This year’s selection comprises 18 projects from India and 14 from overseas.
The Indian line-up also includes six projects previously selected for Nfdc Screenwriters Lab, such as Aamir Bashir’s Winter and The Boyfriend from Vidur Nauriyal and Ashim Ahluwalia.
The international line-up includes two projects from the Us, two from Sri Lanka and projects from Pakistan, Afghanistan...
- 10/13/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) announced thirty-two projects selected for the Co-Production Market to be held during Film Bazaar in Goa from November 20-24, 2014.
The lineup includes 18 Indian and 14 international projects. The international projects include two films from the Us, two from Sri Lanka, a film from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Norway, France, Germany, Singapore and United Kingdom each and an Ifp project which is selected through Nfdc collaboration with Independent Filmmaker Project, USA.
Indian projects:
• By/Two – Directed by Devashish Makhija and produced by Dutta Dave
• The School – Directed by Suchita Bhhatia and produced by Vivek Kajaria
• Blossoms (Pallavi)- Directed and produced by Nila Madhab Panda
• Nuclear Hearts – Directed by Bornila Chatterjee and produced by Tanaji Dasgupta
• Seven (Saat)- Directed by Ashish Bende and produced by Suhrud Godbole
• Medium Spicy – Directed by Mohit Takalkar and produced by Nikhil Mahajan
• The Invisible One – Directed by Amit Datta...
The lineup includes 18 Indian and 14 international projects. The international projects include two films from the Us, two from Sri Lanka, a film from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Norway, France, Germany, Singapore and United Kingdom each and an Ifp project which is selected through Nfdc collaboration with Independent Filmmaker Project, USA.
Indian projects:
• By/Two – Directed by Devashish Makhija and produced by Dutta Dave
• The School – Directed by Suchita Bhhatia and produced by Vivek Kajaria
• Blossoms (Pallavi)- Directed and produced by Nila Madhab Panda
• Nuclear Hearts – Directed by Bornila Chatterjee and produced by Tanaji Dasgupta
• Seven (Saat)- Directed by Ashish Bende and produced by Suhrud Godbole
• Medium Spicy – Directed by Mohit Takalkar and produced by Nikhil Mahajan
• The Invisible One – Directed by Amit Datta...
- 10/13/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout will open the 10th Annual South Asian International Film Festival which will be held from December 3-8, 2013.
Gyan Correa’s The Good Road, India’s official submission to the Oscars in the foreign-language category, will screen as the closing film.
Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi will be screened as the Centerpiece film. The film addresses the tension between religious extremism and modernity through the eyes of a young woman, Rafina, coming of age in Karachi city.
Hammad Khan’s Anima State, Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Kamal K.M.’s I.D and Anup Singh’s Qissa will compete in Feature Film Competition.
Rahul Desai’s Khoon Ltd, Shiva Shankka’s Outpost, Rodd Rathjen’s Tau Seru, Anand Tiwari’s Neighbours and Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush are the short films in competition.
The Spectrum section of the festival will...
Gyan Correa’s The Good Road, India’s official submission to the Oscars in the foreign-language category, will screen as the closing film.
Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar’s Good Morning Karachi will be screened as the Centerpiece film. The film addresses the tension between religious extremism and modernity through the eyes of a young woman, Rafina, coming of age in Karachi city.
Hammad Khan’s Anima State, Rajat Kapoor’s Ankhon Dekhi, Richie Mehta’s Siddharth, Kamal K.M.’s I.D and Anup Singh’s Qissa will compete in Feature Film Competition.
Rahul Desai’s Khoon Ltd, Shiva Shankka’s Outpost, Rodd Rathjen’s Tau Seru, Anand Tiwari’s Neighbours and Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Kush are the short films in competition.
The Spectrum section of the festival will...
- 12/3/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
D aawat Naama is one of the twenty-three films selected for the co- production market of Film Bazaar 2013. We spoke to the director Sabiha Sumar:
Sabiha Sumar
Tell us about your project. What language will it be in?
Daawat Naama is a mix of intrigue and family drama with song, dance, humour and a dash of tragedy. It is a coming of age story of two clans from opposite sides of the border who want to take their relationship to the next level but are encumbered by disturbing secrets. On one track we have our protagonist Rubs and her family. Rubs knows it’s no use trying to talk her husband Ashfaq out of inviting Abhinav Garewal to their daughter’s wedding to advance his political career by gaining useful contacts across the border. On the other track we have the Garewals, headed by Abhinav, who wants nothing to...
Sabiha Sumar
Tell us about your project. What language will it be in?
Daawat Naama is a mix of intrigue and family drama with song, dance, humour and a dash of tragedy. It is a coming of age story of two clans from opposite sides of the border who want to take their relationship to the next level but are encumbered by disturbing secrets. On one track we have our protagonist Rubs and her family. Rubs knows it’s no use trying to talk her husband Ashfaq out of inviting Abhinav Garewal to their daughter’s wedding to advance his political career by gaining useful contacts across the border. On the other track we have the Garewals, headed by Abhinav, who wants nothing to...
- 11/16/2013
- by Editorial Team
- DearCinema.com
Coupled with the spectacular lineup of films, the weekend brought in huge numbers on Day 4 of the 15th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival organized by the Mumbai Association of Moving Images (Mami) and presented by Reliance Entertainment.
Cine lovers were treated to wonderful films such as Viridiana directed by Luis Bunuel, 60 going on 12 directed by Frederic Proust, Diederik Ebbinge’s Matterhorn and Tokyo Story directed by Yasujiro Ozu. Other films screened throughout the day included Davy Chou’s Golden Summers, Costa Gavras’ Capital, Sulemani Keeda directed by Amit V Masurkar, A Castle in Italy directed by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi among others. The cult film Kabhi Kabhi was screened in homage to the legendary Mr. Yash Chopra at Cinemax, Versova. This special screening was attended by Ms Pamela Chopra, who introduced the film to the audience attending.
Featuring in the Film India Worldwide section, Good Morning Karachi directed by Sabiha Sumar...
Cine lovers were treated to wonderful films such as Viridiana directed by Luis Bunuel, 60 going on 12 directed by Frederic Proust, Diederik Ebbinge’s Matterhorn and Tokyo Story directed by Yasujiro Ozu. Other films screened throughout the day included Davy Chou’s Golden Summers, Costa Gavras’ Capital, Sulemani Keeda directed by Amit V Masurkar, A Castle in Italy directed by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi among others. The cult film Kabhi Kabhi was screened in homage to the legendary Mr. Yash Chopra at Cinemax, Versova. This special screening was attended by Ms Pamela Chopra, who introduced the film to the audience attending.
Featuring in the Film India Worldwide section, Good Morning Karachi directed by Sabiha Sumar...
- 10/25/2013
- by Pooja Rao
- Bollyspice
Veteran Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal and Qissa director Anup Singh are among the filmmakers who have had projects selected for the Co-production Market at this year’s Film Bazaar in Goa, India.Scroll down for full list of projects
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
- 10/22/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Nfdc Film Bazaar has announced 28 selected projects for co-production market 2013. The seventh edition of Film Bazaar will take place from 21 – 24 November, 2013 in Goa.
Every year, the Co-Production Market invites a select number of directors and producers to present their projects to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world.
Sr. no. Project Name Applicant Name 1 28-Sri Prasanna Jayakody 2 Dawaat Nama Sabiha Sumar 3 Homestay Blues Miriam Chandy Menacherry 4 Pac-Man Anirban Datta 5 Incredible Piotr Trzaskalski 6 Scorpion’s Song Anup Singh 7 When Mirza Comes Back Kamal K.M. Karamattathil 8 Warm Bread & the Nipple’s Circle Roya Sadat 9 Son of India Robert Mullan 10 Circle of Fire Arnab Chaudhuri 11 Amok Valeria Sarmiento 12 Malabar Court Niara Modi 13 Oont
(The Camel Ride) Gaganvihari Borate 14 Taramandal
(Constellation) Rohit Pandey 15 Roads to Freedom Shyam Benegal 16 Lipstick Under My Burkha Alankrita Shrivastava 17 Bhiwani Mahendra Jakhar 18 The Watchmaker Must Die Again Jogavindra S. Khera...
Every year, the Co-Production Market invites a select number of directors and producers to present their projects to international producers, distributors, sales agents, funding representatives and other financial partners from across the world.
Sr. no. Project Name Applicant Name 1 28-Sri Prasanna Jayakody 2 Dawaat Nama Sabiha Sumar 3 Homestay Blues Miriam Chandy Menacherry 4 Pac-Man Anirban Datta 5 Incredible Piotr Trzaskalski 6 Scorpion’s Song Anup Singh 7 When Mirza Comes Back Kamal K.M. Karamattathil 8 Warm Bread & the Nipple’s Circle Roya Sadat 9 Son of India Robert Mullan 10 Circle of Fire Arnab Chaudhuri 11 Amok Valeria Sarmiento 12 Malabar Court Niara Modi 13 Oont
(The Camel Ride) Gaganvihari Borate 14 Taramandal
(Constellation) Rohit Pandey 15 Roads to Freedom Shyam Benegal 16 Lipstick Under My Burkha Alankrita Shrivastava 17 Bhiwani Mahendra Jakhar 18 The Watchmaker Must Die Again Jogavindra S. Khera...
- 10/22/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Around 200 European and international distributors and festival programmers are expected in London next week for the 10th edition of the London UK Film Focus (Luff), running June 24-27.
Premieres include Exclusive Media’s Formula 1 doc 1, StudioCanal’s horror thriller In Fear, the Damian Jones-produced Powder Room starring Sheridan Smith, Metro International’s raucous comedy The Stag and Altitude Film Sales’ The Hooligan Factory.
uConnect, the London-based sales outfit run by Peter Rogers, will be screening Summer In February, starring Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens.
“The timing is very good for us. We did think it would stand out at Luff,” said Rogers. The love triangle tale was released in the UK earlier this month by Metrodome.
Luff will return to the BFI Southbank to showcase features.
Natalie Brenner, Evp of international sales at Metro International, said: “You have the best screening rooms in London. You have an invited list of really good distributors who sit and...
Premieres include Exclusive Media’s Formula 1 doc 1, StudioCanal’s horror thriller In Fear, the Damian Jones-produced Powder Room starring Sheridan Smith, Metro International’s raucous comedy The Stag and Altitude Film Sales’ The Hooligan Factory.
uConnect, the London-based sales outfit run by Peter Rogers, will be screening Summer In February, starring Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens.
“The timing is very good for us. We did think it would stand out at Luff,” said Rogers. The love triangle tale was released in the UK earlier this month by Metrodome.
Luff will return to the BFI Southbank to showcase features.
Natalie Brenner, Evp of international sales at Metro International, said: “You have the best screening rooms in London. You have an invited list of really good distributors who sit and...
- 6/21/2013
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
One of my favorite documentaries this year, "Searching for Sugar Man," received top honors at the 2012 Ida Documentary Awards winning the Best Feature prize. The documentary about the search for the elusive musician, Rodriguez, is truly a brilliant film illuminating failed dreams and eventual redemption.
Here's the complete winners list of the 2012 Ida Documentary Awards:
Career Achievement Award
Arnold Shapiro
Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award
David France
Pioneer Award
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program And Fund
Best Feature Award
Searching For Sugar Man
Director/Producer/Writer: Malik Bendjelloul
Producer: Simon Chinn
Executive Producer: John Battsek
Red Box Films, Sony Pictures Classics
Best Short Award
Saving Face
Director: Daniel Junge, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Producers: David Coombe, Daniel Junge, Alison Greenberg, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Sabiha Sumar
Co-Producers: Aaron Kopp, Fazeelat Aslam
Senior Producer: Lisa Heller (HBO)
Executive Producer: Sheila Nevins (HBO)
HBO Documentary Films, Milkhaus, LLC, and JungeFilm, LLC
Best Limited Series Award...
Here's the complete winners list of the 2012 Ida Documentary Awards:
Career Achievement Award
Arnold Shapiro
Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award
David France
Pioneer Award
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program And Fund
Best Feature Award
Searching For Sugar Man
Director/Producer/Writer: Malik Bendjelloul
Producer: Simon Chinn
Executive Producer: John Battsek
Red Box Films, Sony Pictures Classics
Best Short Award
Saving Face
Director: Daniel Junge, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Producers: David Coombe, Daniel Junge, Alison Greenberg, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Sabiha Sumar
Co-Producers: Aaron Kopp, Fazeelat Aslam
Senior Producer: Lisa Heller (HBO)
Executive Producer: Sheila Nevins (HBO)
HBO Documentary Films, Milkhaus, LLC, and JungeFilm, LLC
Best Limited Series Award...
- 12/8/2012
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Vikas Chandra was selected for the inaugural edition of Mumbai Mantra—Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in India for his script ‘Toothache’. He, along with seven other screenplay writers, participated in a 5 day- workshop in Lonavla. Vikas Chandra sums up his learning from the workshop in this article:
Your donkeys are not carrying enough load!
In the beginning I had no clue on how to prepare or even what to expect from the lab. Worse, I was gripped with the fear that in no time I would be exposed as a writer!
I expected to be bombarded with questions I had no answers to, at least not at that moment. With such apprehensions, I approached my first session, which was with Audrey Wells.
Thankfully – nothing of the above happened.
We started talking about the central character in my script. Why did I choose my protagonist? What do I like about her?...
Your donkeys are not carrying enough load!
In the beginning I had no clue on how to prepare or even what to expect from the lab. Worse, I was gripped with the fear that in no time I would be exposed as a writer!
I expected to be bombarded with questions I had no answers to, at least not at that moment. With such apprehensions, I approached my first session, which was with Audrey Wells.
Thankfully – nothing of the above happened.
We started talking about the central character in my script. Why did I choose my protagonist? What do I like about her?...
- 4/13/2012
- by Vikas Chandra
- DearCinema.com
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, left, and Daniel Junge pose with their awards for best documentary short for "Saving Face" during the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
A very proud nation Pakistan woke up to a jubilant Monday morning as news flashed of film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s triumph on becoming the first Pakistani to win an Oscar at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center, Hollywood, California. Her film ‘Saving Face’, based on the appalling incidents of acid attacks on women in Pakistan, brought home the first Oscar for Pakistan by winning in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category.
A former journalist, Sharmeen walked the red carpet accompanied by co-director Daniel Junge, dedicated the win to the women in Pakistan working for change. In her acceptance speech she added, “Don’t give up on your dreams, this is for you!
A very proud nation Pakistan woke up to a jubilant Monday morning as news flashed of film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s triumph on becoming the first Pakistani to win an Oscar at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center, Hollywood, California. Her film ‘Saving Face’, based on the appalling incidents of acid attacks on women in Pakistan, brought home the first Oscar for Pakistan by winning in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category.
A former journalist, Sharmeen walked the red carpet accompanied by co-director Daniel Junge, dedicated the win to the women in Pakistan working for change. In her acceptance speech she added, “Don’t give up on your dreams, this is for you!
- 2/29/2012
- by Pooja Rao
- Bollyspice
The Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short, "Saving Face," will debut on HBO March 8. On the Oscar red carpet, I spoke to filmmakers Daniel Junge and Pakistani Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy -- the first Pakistani to be nominated for an Oscar, much less win one -- about the horrific practice of men throwing acid into the faces of women in Pakistan (see below). The disfigured women have one saviour, Dr. Mohammad Jawad, a plastic surgeon who tries to help them move on with their lives. During filming, Pakistani women parliamentarians showed testimony of victims of acid violence, and successfully enacted legislation to punish these perpetrators more severely, with life imprisonment. This is yet another case of a movie helping to change the world. The film was produced by Davis Coombe, Daniel Junge, Alison Greenberg, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Sabiha Sumar and exec produced by HBO Documentary Films' Lisa Heller and Sheila Nevins. (My...
- 2/27/2012
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) unveiled the 23 projects that will participate at the co-production market at Film Bazaar to be held during the International Film Festival of India 2011 in Goa.
It includes Ketan Mehta’s Noor-The Princess Spy and Dibakar Banerjee’s The Boy and the Bandit.
Film Bazaar 2011
Apple Tower; dir. Rajiv Mohite [India]
Trial (Azmaish); dir. Sabiha Sumar [Pakistan]
Burqa Boxers; dir. Alka Raghuram [Us]
Four Colours (Chauranga); dir. Bikas Mishra [India]
The Bicycle (Cycle); dir. Khanjan Kishore Nath [India]
Diary of a Housewife; dir. Rubaiyat Hossain [Bangladesh]
Druk Gi Suung; dir. Ugyen Wangdi [Bhutan]
Free Fall; dir. Sopan Muller [India]
The Vegetarian (Il Vegetariano); dir. Roberto San Pirtro [Italy]
Kumari; dir. Tsering Rhitar Sherpa [Nepal]
Liar’s Dice; dir. Geetu Mohan Das [India]
I’m A Bhopali Aren’t I? (Main Bhopali Hun Na!); dir. Jay Bajaj
Mea Culpa; dir. Prasanna Jayakody & Sumudu Guruge [Sri Lanka]
Gun (Nongmei); dir. Haobam Paban Kumar [India]
Noor – The Princess Spy; dir. Ketan Mehta [India]
Scarlet Poppy; dir.
It includes Ketan Mehta’s Noor-The Princess Spy and Dibakar Banerjee’s The Boy and the Bandit.
Film Bazaar 2011
Apple Tower; dir. Rajiv Mohite [India]
Trial (Azmaish); dir. Sabiha Sumar [Pakistan]
Burqa Boxers; dir. Alka Raghuram [Us]
Four Colours (Chauranga); dir. Bikas Mishra [India]
The Bicycle (Cycle); dir. Khanjan Kishore Nath [India]
Diary of a Housewife; dir. Rubaiyat Hossain [Bangladesh]
Druk Gi Suung; dir. Ugyen Wangdi [Bhutan]
Free Fall; dir. Sopan Muller [India]
The Vegetarian (Il Vegetariano); dir. Roberto San Pirtro [Italy]
Kumari; dir. Tsering Rhitar Sherpa [Nepal]
Liar’s Dice; dir. Geetu Mohan Das [India]
I’m A Bhopali Aren’t I? (Main Bhopali Hun Na!); dir. Jay Bajaj
Mea Culpa; dir. Prasanna Jayakody & Sumudu Guruge [Sri Lanka]
Gun (Nongmei); dir. Haobam Paban Kumar [India]
Noor – The Princess Spy; dir. Ketan Mehta [India]
Scarlet Poppy; dir.
- 11/15/2011
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The 10th edition of Imagineindia Film Festival will take place in Madrid from 17th to 31st May - 2011. Entries have been invited for the festival. Imagineindia 2011 will present more than 90 films. It will pay homages to Stanley Donnen, Geraldine Chaplin, Rolf De Heer, Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
Imagineindia Barcelona 2010 will take place at Casa Asia in Barcelona in September. The films that will be screened in the festival are Firaaq by Nandita Das (Winner of 3 Imagineindia Awards in Madrid), Aamir by Rajkumar Gupta, Do Paise Ki Dhoop Char Ane Ki Barish by Deepti Naval, Gulaal by Anurag Kashyap, Harishchandrachi Factory by Paresh Mokashi, Supermen Of Malegaon by Faiza Ahmed Khan, Kharij by Mrinal Sen, Teen Kanya by Satyajit Ray, Ajantrik by Ritwik Ghatak, Little Zizou by Sooni Taraporevala, Khamosh Pani by Sabiha Sumar.
Imagineindia Barcelona 2010 will take place at Casa Asia in Barcelona in September. The films that will be screened in the festival are Firaaq by Nandita Das (Winner of 3 Imagineindia Awards in Madrid), Aamir by Rajkumar Gupta, Do Paise Ki Dhoop Char Ane Ki Barish by Deepti Naval, Gulaal by Anurag Kashyap, Harishchandrachi Factory by Paresh Mokashi, Supermen Of Malegaon by Faiza Ahmed Khan, Kharij by Mrinal Sen, Teen Kanya by Satyajit Ray, Ajantrik by Ritwik Ghatak, Little Zizou by Sooni Taraporevala, Khamosh Pani by Sabiha Sumar.
- 8/4/2010
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
- An impression amount of submissions (620 to be exact) in the World Docu Competition category - and looking back at last year's selection is a good sign for the things to come. "Alone in Four Walls" (Germany), directed and written by Alexandra Westmeier, which focuses on Russian teenage boys whose life confined to a rural home for delinquents might be preferable to freedom."The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins" (New Zealand), directed and written by Pietra Brettkelly, in which a woman's obsession to adopt Sudanese twin orphans raises many questions about Western attitudes concerning Africa."A Complete History of My Sexual Failures" (U.K.), directed by Chris Waitt and written by Waitt and Henry Trotter, in which the filmmaker consults the women in his life, past and present, to learn exactly how the opposite sex views him."Derek" (U.K.), directed by Isaac Julien, an artistic illumination of the
- 11/28/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
- I’m not sure what the previous years have churned out, but this year’s Real to Reel (Tiff's doc section) packs a wallop: either the film’s selected happen to have a muscle name among doc filmmakers attached or the docu subject will raise more than one eyebrow. Among the mix we have Phil Donahue’s Body of War – a doc that is coming to the fest with ample buzz, we have film critic Todd McCarthy’s documentary of a Cannes fest icon Pierre Rissient who makes the term 'cinephile' sound like a disease, and after a successful crossover into feature films, Kevin Macdonald looks into the mind of Gestapo commander Klaus Barbie, a.k.a the Butcher of Lyon. Here is the complete list:algerie, Histoires A Ne Pas Dire Jean-Pierre Lledo, AlgeriaFour Algerians of Muslim origin revisit the last years of their country's War of Independence, searching
- 7/31/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
First Run Features
NEW YORK -- Displaying an awkward blending of personal and political themes, this debut feature from documentary filmmaker Sabiha Sumar is set in Pakistan in the late 1970s, when the country was swinging toward Islamic fundamentalism. The provocative issues of "Silent Waters" are unfortunately undercut by schematic plotting and one-dimensional characterizations, but the forcefulness of its message makes it a rewarding cinematic experience. Part of this year's New Directors/New Films series, the film is slated for release this year.
The film's central character is Ayesha (Kirron Kher), a middle-age widow who makes her living giving lessons in the Koran. She is deeply devoted to her 18-year-old son, Saleem (Aamir Malik), who spends most of his time romancing his well-heeled and beautiful girlfriend, Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla).
The plot takes a dark turn with the arrival in the village of a group of Islamic fundamentalists, with whom Saleem quickly falls in. Suddenly, the good-natured teen exhibits a brutish side, collaborating with his cohorts to harass the area's Sikh refugees and becoming abusive to his loyal girlfriend. When his new associates urge him to pressure his mother into reaffirming her Islamic faith, the resulting turmoil reawakens memories of tragic events in her past.
Although unable to resist a tendency toward melodrama, the filmmaker delivers a moving portrait of societal and religious discord that, despite its being set a quarter century ago, has resonance today. The film gathers dramatic steam as it develops these themes, ultimately achieving an admirable complexity. Adding to the impact is the moving performance by Indian actress Kher.
NEW YORK -- Displaying an awkward blending of personal and political themes, this debut feature from documentary filmmaker Sabiha Sumar is set in Pakistan in the late 1970s, when the country was swinging toward Islamic fundamentalism. The provocative issues of "Silent Waters" are unfortunately undercut by schematic plotting and one-dimensional characterizations, but the forcefulness of its message makes it a rewarding cinematic experience. Part of this year's New Directors/New Films series, the film is slated for release this year.
The film's central character is Ayesha (Kirron Kher), a middle-age widow who makes her living giving lessons in the Koran. She is deeply devoted to her 18-year-old son, Saleem (Aamir Malik), who spends most of his time romancing his well-heeled and beautiful girlfriend, Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla).
The plot takes a dark turn with the arrival in the village of a group of Islamic fundamentalists, with whom Saleem quickly falls in. Suddenly, the good-natured teen exhibits a brutish side, collaborating with his cohorts to harass the area's Sikh refugees and becoming abusive to his loyal girlfriend. When his new associates urge him to pressure his mother into reaffirming her Islamic faith, the resulting turmoil reawakens memories of tragic events in her past.
Although unable to resist a tendency toward melodrama, the filmmaker delivers a moving portrait of societal and religious discord that, despite its being set a quarter century ago, has resonance today. The film gathers dramatic steam as it develops these themes, ultimately achieving an admirable complexity. Adding to the impact is the moving performance by Indian actress Kher.
First Run Features
NEW YORK -- Displaying an awkward blending of personal and political themes, this debut feature from documentary filmmaker Sabiha Sumar is set in Pakistan in the late 1970s, when the country was swinging toward Islamic fundamentalism. The provocative issues of "Silent Waters" are unfortunately undercut by schematic plotting and one-dimensional characterizations, but the forcefulness of its message makes it a rewarding cinematic experience. Part of this year's New Directors/New Films series, the film is slated for release this year.
The film's central character is Ayesha (Kirron Kher), a middle-age widow who makes her living giving lessons in the Koran. She is deeply devoted to her 18-year-old son, Saleem (Aamir Malik), who spends most of his time romancing his well-heeled and beautiful girlfriend, Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla).
The plot takes a dark turn with the arrival in the village of a group of Islamic fundamentalists, with whom Saleem quickly falls in. Suddenly, the good-natured teen exhibits a brutish side, collaborating with his cohorts to harass the area's Sikh refugees and becoming abusive to his loyal girlfriend. When his new associates urge him to pressure his mother into reaffirming her Islamic faith, the resulting turmoil reawakens memories of tragic events in her past.
Although unable to resist a tendency toward melodrama, the filmmaker delivers a moving portrait of societal and religious discord that, despite its being set a quarter century ago, has resonance today. The film gathers dramatic steam as it develops these themes, ultimately achieving an admirable complexity. Adding to the impact is the moving performance by Indian actress Kher.
NEW YORK -- Displaying an awkward blending of personal and political themes, this debut feature from documentary filmmaker Sabiha Sumar is set in Pakistan in the late 1970s, when the country was swinging toward Islamic fundamentalism. The provocative issues of "Silent Waters" are unfortunately undercut by schematic plotting and one-dimensional characterizations, but the forcefulness of its message makes it a rewarding cinematic experience. Part of this year's New Directors/New Films series, the film is slated for release this year.
The film's central character is Ayesha (Kirron Kher), a middle-age widow who makes her living giving lessons in the Koran. She is deeply devoted to her 18-year-old son, Saleem (Aamir Malik), who spends most of his time romancing his well-heeled and beautiful girlfriend, Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla).
The plot takes a dark turn with the arrival in the village of a group of Islamic fundamentalists, with whom Saleem quickly falls in. Suddenly, the good-natured teen exhibits a brutish side, collaborating with his cohorts to harass the area's Sikh refugees and becoming abusive to his loyal girlfriend. When his new associates urge him to pressure his mother into reaffirming her Islamic faith, the resulting turmoil reawakens memories of tragic events in her past.
Although unable to resist a tendency toward melodrama, the filmmaker delivers a moving portrait of societal and religious discord that, despite its being set a quarter century ago, has resonance today. The film gathers dramatic steam as it develops these themes, ultimately achieving an admirable complexity. Adding to the impact is the moving performance by Indian actress Kher.
- 4/19/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LONDON -- Pakistan-European co-production Khamosh Pani (Silent Water) walked away with the top prize at this year's Locarno International Film Festival (LIFF). Directed by Sabiha Sumar, Pani picked up the 90,000 Swiss francs ($66,513) Golden Leopard award at an evening ceremony Saturday night in the Italian-speaking Swiss lakeside resort. The movie, a co-production between Pakistan, Germany and France, fended off competition from 18 other titles to scoop up the prize, which is decided on by a seven-strong international jury. The prize is given on the understanding that the cash is shared equally between the producer and director.
- 8/17/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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