Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy wraps up latest edition of women-focused filmmaking program, 'Story She Tells'

Eight emerging directors premiere new documentary projects under Patakha Pictures’ 2025 cohort

Two-time Academy Award–winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy marked the completion of the seventh edition of Story She Tells, Pakistan’s largest women-focused filmmaking grant and mentorship program. This year’s cycle brought together eight emerging directors from Karachi, Multan, Lahore, Chitral, and Quetta.

Run by Patakha Pictures, an initiative of SOC Films, and supported by the British Council and the Scottish Documentary Institute, the program hosted a gathering in Karachi where fellows premiered the trailers of their films, offering a first look at six months of work grounded in personal, social, and cultural narratives.

For the 2025 edition, participants worked in pairs, producing films that explore resilience, cultural heritage, performance, music, spirituality, and identity. The cohort was mentored by Noe Mendelle, founding director of the Scottish Documentary Institute, whose decades of documentary practice shaped the program’s instruction. The project concluded with an in-person editing and closing session.

The 2025 fellows and their films

Mah Jabeen Abid and Maryam Misal (Multan) — Malangni
A portrait of a 44-year-old Seraiki theater performer confronting fading fame and the emotional toll of life on stage.

Syeda Abqra Shaukat and Faryal Diwan (Karachi) — Saaz, Dhee, Azaadi
The story of a woman divided between Karachi and Bhit Shah, fighting for the right to pursue a musical tradition once denied to her.

Mahrosh Alam and Sana Hussain (Chitral/Lahore) — Muntazir
A look at Sundri Ji, a trans nohakhwan and dancer whose inner conflicts and devotion reveal the unseen emotional burdens of mourning.

Sumbul Khokhar and Fizza Kanwal (Quetta) — The Eagle Woman of Balochistan
A profile of Hamida, an activist whose campaign against injustice has made her a symbol of resistance in her community.

Speaking at the event, Obaid-Chinoy emphasized the need for structured pathways for women filmmakers. “I am a product of Pakistan, but a yellow brick road of opportunities took me around the world and into rooms where women like me rarely go. Because doors were opened for me, I believe in opening doors for other women,” she said.

She noted that Patakha Pictures is helping build the infrastructure young women filmmakers often lack, adding that support from partners such as the British Council, USIP, USAID, and private donors has expanded access for emerging storytellers from both small towns and large cities.

According to Obaid-Chinoy, the program’s impact is becoming visible: “Our 69 filmmakers have screened at more than 50 festivals and won dozens of awards, proof that even small investments can create significant outcomes.”

James Hampson, the British Council’s Country Director for Pakistan, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting emerging storytellers and strengthening creative ecosystems for women.

Since its launch in 2022, Patakha Pictures has supported 69 filmmakers whose work has traveled to over 70 festivals worldwide—including New York, Seoul, Montreal, Milan, and Canberra—and earned more than two dozen awards. This year’s cohort continues that trajectory, expanding the space for women-led storytelling in Pakistan’s documentary landscape.