Songs of the Sufi' Wins Best Documentary Award at Chicago South Asian Film Festival

Pakistani music documentry film "Songs of the Sufi" has won the Best Documentary - Audience Choice Award at the 15th Chicago South Asian Film Festival held in Chicago from Sept 19-22, 2024. The feature film produced by Kamran Anwar and directed by Shahrukh Waheed tells the story of classical qawwali through Qawwals of the Qawwal Bachay Gharana, aficionados, devotees, and music scholars. The film uses Sufi-inspired art by leading Pakistani artists and Mughal miniature paintings, qawwalis, interviews, and verité-style storytelling to create a cinematic musical visual experience.

"Songs of the Sufi is a wonderful craft that explores the history, culture, and universal message of Love. I'm very thrilled that the film won at our festival and stood out for masterful direction, and the emotional depth. Sharukh Waheed and Kamran Anwar have brought this masterpiece in a very tasteful and divine way to the big screen!" said Jigar Shah, Festival Director Chicago South Asian Film Festival

The film had its Pakistani premiere at the Gandhara Independent Film Festival hosted by the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi, back in October 2023. The film was screened to a full house and received a Special Jury Award at the festival.