Zubair Qureshi
Film enthusiasts from the twin cities and four other cities across Pakistan are getting a unique opportunity to discover European cinema at the 2nd European Film Festival, kicked off on Friday at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). The film festival is taking place in five cities across Pakistan – including Islamabad, Multan, Gilgit, Peshawar and Quetta – from 2nd to 24th June 2023.
A large number of fans of European art, culture, particularly European cinema turned up at the inaugural ceremony that was addressed by Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, Dr Riina Kionka. The European Film Festival she said was celebration of cinema that brings together filmmakers, actors and cinema enthusiasts. “It provides an opportunity for Pakistani audiences to discover the rich and diverse world of European cinema and get a glimpse into the cultural and social issues that shape modern European societies,” said she.
According to Dr Riina Kionka, the films shown at the festival aren’t just good movies – they also carry important social messages – the importance of diversity and gender equality, of nurturing relations between generations, of promoting human rights, of combatting climate change, and more. Cinema, she said provided an opportunity to dive into the worlds and, in fact, the minds of characters who live very different lives than ours. Cinema allows
The festival showcases a selection of unique and thought-provoking films that are best experienced with fellow movie enthusiasts. The screenings included feature films and short films on various topics such as gender equality, relations between generations, embracing diversity, climate change and human rights. Many of the films being shown are co-productions made possible through collaborations of professionals and organisations from different European countries. In Islamabad, the feature film ‘Any Day Now’ (Ensilumi) is a story of a family that stands together in love – amidst an uncertain future. The screenings was followed by a panel discussions by renowned Pakistani filmmakers, actors, writers and academics to reflect on topics of relevance and various styles of storytelling. Sarmad Khoosat, Sania Saeed and Saim Sadiq after the screening, talked about the democratization of traditional media and film making through social media, in a discussion moderated by Tamkenat Mansoor. The festival also provided an opportunity for aspiring Pakistani filmmakers to learn producing creative narratives under the training of award-winning filmmaker Kanwal Khoosat through a series of master classes. Another interesting feature of the festival was interactive installations, including dubbing and video compositing booths, and a tribute to 75 years of Pakistani cinema titled ‘Manduva’ curated by Sarmad Khoosat in association with the Lahore Biennale Foundation.
The festival will be held at various venues including Universal Cinemas Multan on Sunday, Karakoram International University in Gilgit on June 10, while in Nishtar Hall Peshawar on 17th June in Peshawar, and Noori Naseer Khan Cultural Complex on 24th June in Quetta.
