Sunday, September 30, 2012

Gandhara Film Festival debuts in Karachi

Pakistan News & Features Services

The first-ever Gandhara Film Festival, spread over a couple of days, was hosted at the Pakistan American Culture Center (PACC) in Karachi on September 28 and 29. It was the maiden venture of The Creative Brigade. 

The festival continued for more than 12 hours both days with tremendous enthusiasm witnessed among the participants as well as the audience. 

About 20 short and feature length films by amateur film makers while workshops were held on film making and production. 

The workshops were aimed at guiding students and budding film makers in the art of storytelling or broadcast news writing and one that focused on cinematic graphics, which was led by Waleed Umar Thanvi. 

The films recognized at the Gandhara Film Festival 2012, which are to screened again shortly at the PACC were Heer Ranjha (Winner Features Category), Ish Pata (Runner-Up Features Category), Divine Nostalgia (Winner Shorts Category), Displaced-The Forgotten (Runner Up Shorts Category), Story of Revolution (Winner People's Choice Award) and Golden Letters (Runner Up People's Choice Award). 

Syed Talat Hussain, Syed Mohammad Ahmed, Soniya Rehman and Rashid Farooqui comprised the panel of judges in the festival. 

The festival got off to a flying start with the screening of short film Heal. Directed by Mian Adnan Ahmed, it lived up to the reputation of charming the audience and earning positive reviews. On great demand of the people, it was screened a second time despite being against the schedule. 

The audience was encouraged to get to really know the directors and producers whose works they liked and they also enjoyed the freedom to express those works didn’t come to their expectations. 

The concepts and social issues shown were spectacularly bold, refreshing and thought-provoking which could give a lifeline to the Pakistani film industry if the talents of the young and emerging directors and producers were properly utilized.

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