ISLAMABAD: A short film on the US drone attacks in Pakistan, made by students of Iqra University, has won an award at an international annual film festival held in the US.
The 20-minute film "The Other Side" was awarded the Best Audience Award at the National Film Festival For Talented Youth (NFFTY), held in Seattle.
The short film was written and directed by Danish Ali along with five other team members, Online news agency reported.
The film revolves around the idea of assessing social, psychological and economical affects of the US drone strikes on the people in the northwest tribal areas of Pakistan. It identifies the problems faced by families who have become victims of missiles fired by the drones.
This year alone, there has been more than 10 drone strikes, in which at least 83 people have been killed.
However, the filmmakers were unable to attend the award ceremony as their visa applications were rejected.
"If we had got the visa then it would have been easy for us to frame our point of view in front of the other selected youth filmmakers," Ali said.
The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), held annually in Seattle, showcases work by filmmakers aged 22 and under from across the world.
It was created in 2007 with the aim of becoming the most influential youth-oriented film festival in North America. The festival includes film screenings, filmmaking workshops and panels, concerts by youth bands, and a gala opening night.
It is organised by the Talented Youth -- a non-profit arts organisation that was founded in 2007 with NFFTY as its flagship programme.
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No visa? And I though the US stands for freedom of speech!
mashallah.. they deserve this award. I wish their efforts to high light the OTHER SIDE OF DRONEATTACK & to reawake the conscience of WEST would not be wasted.
@Umer.. oh yess.. collateral damage, right!
@ Umer
even If take more innocent lives to kill one perceived terrorist? where are your so called Human Rights now? or you think that these innocent people who get killed are not humans?
US taking drone attacks only to show its power.however it is most civilized country in the world,but due to the drone attacks it become unpopular.as it violated the UN charter and sovereignty of Pakistan.that's why Pakistani people have hostile feeling for them.....
Drones is the only way to kill terrorists inside Pakistan at the moment as law enforcement and judiciary is not active enough, to put it mildly.
US is not Pakistan where people like Mansoor Ijaz can spit on Pakistan and yet given five start treatment.