Pakistani film makes it to Thailand Short Film Competition | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Pakistani film makes it to Thailand Short Film Competition

Pakistan Press Foundation

While local cinema is striving to make a mark and win audiences across Pakistan, many of our films (shorts, feature-length) have gained traction internationally as well in recent times. Multiple Pakistani films, particularly shorts, have been screened at foreign film festivals, followed by immense praise as well as awards in some cases.

Recently, a director-cinematographer duo from Pakistan was selected for the sixth Thailand Short Film Competition under which they made a short called I Am Here. Featuring Thai actors, the film was made within three days with the help of a Thai crew, after which it was screened there. Though they didn’t win any award, the film resonated well with those in attendance including the jury members.

Thailand Short Film Competition aims at promoting, regulating and supporting international film productions in Thailand. I Am Here, which has been directed by Ali Sohail Jaura, follows the story of a young travel journalist who loses his wife and is unable to recover from the loss and return to life. It’s a beautiful film which is high on emotions and captures the essence of loss.“We are happy and proud that we represented Pakistan on such a platform for the first time in six years,” director of the film Ali Sohail told Instep.

He also informed that they plan to release the film in Pakistan as well in the coming months.

Reflecting on how they made it to the competition, Ali informed, “Teams from various countries including 24 international and 15 national teams were called to take part in the competition. For the first time in six years, a team from Pakistan was selected; it comprised me and my friend Adnan Aslam (cinematographer). We took part in the competition and shot the film within the given time and budget that was very small.”

Aside from the director and cinematographer, other crew members who helped them from Pakistan include Ammar Zafar (script), Abbas Ali Khan (music), Anser Soomro (sound design) apart from a production assistant from Thailand, Pachamon Jawana, who is currently studying in Bangkok and assisted them in translation and other important tasks.

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