Through her lens
At a recent panel discussion, Pakistani-American filmmaker Iram Parveen Bilal recounted her experiences with sexist behaviour on film sets and at camera equipment stores in Pakistan as well as abroad. Filmmaking was and still remains a male-dominated field. Over time, many women worldwide have broken the glass ceiling by entering the field, carving their niche and making a name for themselves. Today, Pakistan also boasts several notable female filmmakers who are globally acclaimed. Yet issues ranging from budgetary constraints to gatekeeping within the industry and cultural norms hinder women who aspire to pursue a career in this industry.
Very few universities in Pakistan offer courses on filmmaking, limiting opportunities for those who wish to explore this discipline. The restrictive environment concerning creativity and speech in the country often dissuades parents from supporting their children’s filmmaking pursuits. They worry about their children's immediate safety, financial instability, and uncertain career prospects.
Against these odds, 22-year-old Ufaq Asad, a pre-medical student, decided to follow her dream of being a filmmaker. “After intermediate, I took a gap year and considered many courses ranging from business to sociology. I eventually settled on filmmaking,” she shared. Luckily for Asad, she got into the communications and design programme at Habib University on full scholarship. This gave her leverage to convince her parents to let her pursue her passion of filmmaking.
I chanced upon Asad’s thesis film Dou Kat Chai at a screening at the Centre for Arts-based Methodologies and Well-being on a hot June evening. A peek into her life, Asad’s film has many moments of introspection. It reeled me in from the first scene where Asad calls out those who often ask her why she left the mountains of Gilgit and chose urban and polluted Karachi. Through her film, Asad informs her viewers of the challenges of living in far-flung areas of Pakistan in a manner that asserts that the new generation is no longer willing to smile and nod at such apathetic and ignorant remarks. In the film, we see Asad in various settings in Karachi and Gilgit amid conversations with friends and family. The topics of discussion range from migration, living alone in Karachi as a woman, sexual harassment to lighter subjects such as having crushes on fellow university students and fashion choices.
“I did not have a blueprint or a structure for the film so I was just shooting everything back then,” said Asad. “Eventually, I realised I would need to focus on certain themes or topics to create a story that flows because I had a lot of random footage. My professors guided me during the process.” Yet, without a script or structure, she managed to produce a film that will stay with you.
A hard road
In the last four years, there have been times when Asad almost gave up on filmmaking. It is challenging for a woman to venture out with a camera drawing the attention of many inquisitive eyes. The risk of harassment and abuse when you’re filming in public spaces is significantly higher. “Getting your hands on all the equipment can be challenging,” explained Asad. “I often thought that I should consider post-production. It would be mostly editing, which is another thing I enjoy and would not be too far out of my comfort zone.”
Originally from Gilgit, Asad spent much of her childhood and teenage years moving from one place to another. She reflected on the challenges the film industry poses for people without connections in it. “Coming all the way from Gilgit to Karachi, I hardly knew people in my course at university let alone know people in the film industry,” she said. She plans to continue creating films that touch on subjects related to her life and daily experiences, including climate change, migration, and gender issues. However, she'll need to work either part-time or full-time to secure the necessary funds for filmmaking.
Another young filmmaker Zoobia Talpur, 23, planned on pursuing psychology. However, she ended up studying Communication and Design in college primarily because she had always had a knack for filming and video editing. She undertook a range of filmmaking-related courses throughout her degree programme. However, Talpur does not plan on pursuing filmmaking in the near future. She explains, “I love filmmaking, but I'm not entirely sure if I want it to be my career in Pakistan because there is a lot of financial stress and I don’t want that to ruin my relationship with filmmaking.” She is currently working as an assistant director for a film, considering it as something she does on the side.
Talpur highlights an important point because many female filmmakers encounter similar difficulties when securing funding and equipment for their films. In the absence of collective funds and government grants, most Pakistani filmmakers either invest themselves or seek external investors. Their ideas are questioned, their credibility is undermined and vision is often compromised if they choose the latter. Female filmmakers have to contend with misogyny and sexism as well. Talpur believes achieving stability before jumping headfirst with little support and guidance is essential.
Crafting her niche
Talpur is not interested in exploring or covering external topics for her films but wants to speak her mind and feelings. “A lot of my inspiration comes from wanting to express things that are happening with me,” she said. “A lot of the time, the things that are happening with me are related to relationships and power dynamics. I love exploring people and observing their behaviours and interactions.”
Talpur used her personal journal entries and therapy notes to craft her thesis film Ravi. This captivating work unfolds within the confines of a therapist's office. Unable to secure an actor for the role, Talpur took on the protagonist's part herself. “I was advised not to act in it because it would be too similar to my real life and the boundaries of what’s real and what isn’t would blur,” said Talpur. The film follows Ravi, who visits her therapist to discuss her recent breakup along with other familial issues. “The film was very much connected to what was happening in real-time in my real life,” she said.
Mainstream Pakistani media has failed to portray different mental health conditions convincingly and convey the importance of therapy effectively. Such a feat is rarely accomplished, especially in the early stages of one's career. As you watch Ravi, you'll feel like a fly on the wall of the therapist’s room, silently observing.
A courageous generation
Last week, Dou Kat Chai was screened in Brussels on November 23 and 24 at the I Am Tomorrow International Film Festival. Through these films Asad and Talpur have individually shed light on the struggles faced by many female filmmakers in a predominantly nepotistic and male-dominated industry. These young filmmakers represent a forward-thinking generation that is willing to break through the barriers that exist within the industry. They have not only overcome obstacles but also used their creativity to address important societal issues and present them to the public contributing to the evolution of cinema in the country.