Pakistan to make history at 77th Cannes Film Festival

Helmed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Pakistani Academy Selection Committee chairman Mohammed Ali Naqvi, The Pakistan Crescent Collective will represent the country’s official presence at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, the week-long event starting May 14.

The collective consists of a global team of film industry professionals based in Karachi, London, New York and Los Angeles, with its mission being to “discover and nurture the next generation of talent, preserve film, and promote Pakistani and diaspora films globally, thereby advancing Pakistan’s visual culture.”

Naqvi, the founder of Modoxy Media, emphasised the significance of the Collective during a press conference, stating, “As one of the only countries without a central hub at Cannes, it’s imperative to launch initiatives like The Crescent Collective.”

“We are dedicated to championing Pakistani cinema and talent, both at home and abroad. It’s time to celebrate our own,” Naqvi said. Modoxy Media itself develops diverse storytelling rooted in South Asian and Arab cultures, designed to resonate with global audiences.

In recent years, Pakistan has made significant waves at the festival, with the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winning Joyland in 2022, followed by last year’s In Flames in the Director’s Fortnight section. Both films were also Pakistan’s official submissions to the Academy Awards.

The Pakistan Crescent Collective aims to build on this momentum by launching an extensive programme for the 77th Cannes Film Festival which includes a filmmaker panel discussion and event following the screening of Usman Riaz’s The Glassworker. The film is a landmark for Pakistani cinema as the country’s first 2D hand-painted traditional film, inspired by the iconic Japanese animation house, Studio Ghibli.

As part of the launch, the Collective will co-host the inauguration and reception for the world’s first South Asian Film Market, launched by the Oscar-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival. Alongside Tasveer, they will also hold an exclusive speed networking event on the American Pavilion Terrace.

This event poses an opportunity for filmmaking teams to meet with film financiers and funders to pitch their next project. This will be followed by a cocktail sundowner reception for all participants in celebration of the American Pavilion’s Global Lens Day.

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