NCA Degree Show 2017-III: Film and TV students produce stellar displays

Students exchange programme introduced in 2016 has resulted in several international quality projects

LAHORE: Film and TV shows from as many as 17 graduating students of the Department of Film and Television is currently on display at the National College of Arts.

Fatimah Sattar’s film titled ‘Masadd’ (twisted strands of a palm tree), is inspired from her belief that all pre-set rules, morals and ethics are relative to circumstances. “Creating this specific story enabled me to put my character in a situation where I have to choose but in fact there is no choice at all,” she said.

Namwar Aayaz’s film ‘Patal’ is set in a dystopian parallel universe where any physical or mental disability is outlawed and the disabled are killed.

In this backdrop, a young man must save his 13-year-old brother whose genetic blindness surfaces from the totalitarian government and its special Anti-Disabled Task Force, all the while trying to survive in this harsh world where almost all the natural resources have run out.



Another graduating student, Ismail Atiq Kiyani’s thesis titled ‘Brain’ is about Amjad, an average man in his early twenties, committed to making a name for himself. Amjad works in repairs department of an IT company in Lahore. According to Kiyani, set in 1980s, the film shows Amjad’s journey as he turns his passion into a career and ends up making headlines worldwide.

Film ‘Dubbiyan Sardaan’ by Nimral Bano is inspired from the minimalist tradition in cinema. According to Nirmal, the film is a portrayal of despair and the film’s protagonist is pitted against the century old feudal culture.

Ali Atif’s film ‘Grains of Gold’ is about a nomadic tribe of gold panners, known as the Maru’tz.

According to Atif, they are found in northern areas of Pakistan along with riverbeds and the Maru’tz find gold through the use of primitive methods which have been passed down through generations.

Ali said his documentary was an observation of their nomadic lifestyle and their ongoing quest for gold to make ends meet.

Salahudin Khan’s film is about a lonely man living in mountains in complete isolation, while dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder. It is not until he is forced out of his self-exile that he learns to really let go of the past and accept life with all its flaws.

According to Film and TV department head, Majid Saeed Khan, students exchange programm introduced in 2016 has resulted in several international quality projects. He said that the abundance of knowledge together with development in technology has led to the convergence of traditional and modern film and media.

“This integration has yielded opportunities and careers that necessitate the training of students into prominent professionals who can not only facilitate the ongoing development but also set new standards, every step of the way and such trainings are our model foundation,” Majid said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2017.