Praising Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy for her exemplary work, Yasir Hussain once said “there are many Oscar-winning daughters if we change our mindset” and the Two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker is all set to pave the path for deserving minds.
On Friday, Obaid-Chinoy announced Pakistan’s largest filmmaking grant for women titled Stories from Southern Pakistan for PKR 10 million, under her funding and mentorship initiative Patakha Pictures. Filmmakers from US and Scotland will serve as mentors for the program, as per a press release.
All female filmmakers, domiciled in Sindh and Balochistan, are eligible to apply for this program. Applications will begin on November 6 and close on November 25. It is mandatory for participants to apply in pairs.
It is pertinent to note that only 20 emerging filmmakers, working in pairs, will be given a grant of up to PKR 1 million per pair to create 10 short documentaries (10-20 minutes in duration). As part of the mentorship process, Patakha Pictures will support, nurture and develop fellows’ creative skills, thus enabling grantees to reach new local and international audiences through their work.
The training program will commence from January till August 2023 with twice-a-month virtual workshops by international experts. “The mentorship will entail sessions that would include – but not be limited to – storytelling, developing narratives and characters, directing, sound design and editing, followed by a gathering for an intensive week in Karachi to finalise the editing of the films with a closing event in September 2023 that will celebrate and mark the successful completion of production of films created by our fellows,” read the statement.
Stories from Southern Pakistan is Patakha Pictures’ third funding and mentorship program. It was launched in partnership with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi [ITA] and the U.S. Consulate General Karachi.
It aims to empower and support a new generation of female Pakistani filmmakers who wish to create engaging films that reflect on and question their society on themes such as women empowerment, violence against women and minorities, arts, culture, climate change and peace-building.
“I have been so inspired by the success of Patakha Pictures’ funding programs, especially as many of our fellows’ films are being screened and receiving accolades internationally. We know that this funding is critical for filmmakers to realise their filmmaking dreams, and this time around we’re making a special effort to recruit women from smaller towns and villages in Sindh and Balochistan,” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
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