Industry insiders don’t seem thrilled with the idea of Pakistan’s first Oscar committee.
Much like the reactions to her Oscar-winning documentary Saving Face, the response to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s initiative to form Pakistan’s first Academy award committee also oscillates between warm and lukewarm. Till last week, Pakistan did not have an Oscar committee to shortlist feature films and forward to the Academy for consideration. But while film-makers welcome the move to put Pakistani films on the map, there are some who feel that Obaid-Chinoy’s Oscar victory does not legitimise her credibility to select the committee members.
“We are excited and happy about this development but some questions remain unanswered,” says Shahzad Nawaz, writer and producer of Chambaili. “You and I can gather like-minded people and form a committee, too, if approved by the Academy. But who is to say that this committee is ready to screen films?”
Nawaz echoes the feelings of film-makers when he says that a committee formed to finalise a submission should take film-makers into confidence instead of operating like an isolated hegemony. “Nobody contacted me even though I have a share in the market,” he adds.
Nevertheless, Nawaz plans to submit Chambaili for an entry if he is approached. He adds, however, that committee members should introduce themselves to the film fraternity in order to ensure transparency – after all, their submissions will become how the world sees Pakistan.
“Both Iran and Pakistan won Oscars last year for films that humiliated and degraded their countries. I don’t propose showing just a rosy picture but I am a patriot and there are certain ways of managing perception and taking your image forward. I’m not saying we should just show flowers and not show the thorns – but at least we should show them in context,” he asserts.
He isn’t the only one questioning the committee’s legitimacy. A well-known film-maker who spoke on condition of anonymity shares his sentiments. “You have academics, theatre artists and actors in this committee, but not a single member is currently making mainstream feature films,” he says.
But as with every debate, there are advocates. Main Hoon Shahid Afridi producer Humayun Saeed believes that the formation of this committee is a winning situation for independent young film-makers in Pakistan.
“It is a positive step in the right direction,” says Saeed. “The doorway to success is now open and it’s a win for upcoming film-makers. Maybe one day I will make a film which is worthy of an Oscar entry.”
Director Jamshed Mahmood Ansari feels that any good development in our country is met with negativity and feedback. “I knew that there would be a huge conspiracy theory surrounding this subject. Pessimism has taken over our environment so much, that there is hardly anything happening in the right direction,” says Ansari.
Ansari recalls that similar theories were circulating when Atrium Cinemas was built and people made fuss over how the whole thing will eventually turn into a monopoly. “That was unbelievable! People criticising the committee haven’t done anything significant for the country,” he adds.
In her defence, Obaid-Chinoy explains the committee’s formation. “The process of forming a committee of this nature is a matter of the country choosing to apply for such a committee. Thus, the responsibility falls on the film-makers of that country, and not the Academy. While I am unsure [as to] why we failed to submit a film for 50 years, I assume that it is due to our film industry weakening, on a whole,” she says.
“We had to submit a list of committee members to the Academy who then vetted and approved our nominations. We were advised to submit a diverse list of members, from directors and actors to academics and writers. We received approval soon, thereafter, and are now in the process of soliciting submissions for consideration in 2014 award cycle.”
At the end, even if this committee is endorsed by the government, it will be viewed by some as an isolated lobby. Another question that begs to be answered is which films Pakistan will send forward to the Oscars; the most aesthetically and technically sound or one that revolves around the themes, subjects and treatments that are likely to get attention from a western audience?
The answers are not simple, but given Obaid-Chinoy’s Oscar win for a subject that depicts the plight of acid attack survivors, and the subsequent formation of this committee, now may just be the right time to raise concerns.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th, 2013.
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ALL haters of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Try to digest the fact that a woman won the first OSCAR for Pakistan and weenies are complaining in jealously strands about it? SHAHZAD NAWAZ first two films will please the DE-senitized masses who are not asked to think but enjoy a hero and heroine run around singing songs in bright colors his last film has been an instant dud and in spite of the great timing of its release the public and critics gave it a big Y-A-W-N!
I totaly agree with Mr.Shahzad Nawaz. This person is working on local fundings and producing much more than expected. Hats off the young man ! All haters, Try to digest such type of positive criticism.
It is interesting to see SHAHZAD NAWAZ so called explanation, is a day too late. He seemed overly jealous that a woman worn the first prestigious award and work recognition and her challenged critics who cry about the subject matter, little do they know that you the public cannot command the subject matter of a creator. SHAHZAD NAWAZ & friends have had ample time to make a quality film for world class recognition he may pretend... "I have always worked with local funding, self-financing, loads of conviction and belief and I am happy with what I did, what I do, and what I will be doing in future… the only standard I will have to keep and follow is my own!" but that might be the figment of his imagination he caters to a segment of society that has been de-sensitized to accept mediocre and as Sharmeen Obiad Chinoy has raised the bar for film making SHAHZAD NAWAZ & friends seem far from meeting it!
I agree with Shahzad Nawaz on this matter. Pakistan has been declared one of the dangerous countries, instead of reaching the international platform with a positive aspect of Pakistan why do we need to rub the same beechara side of it? Internationally people only know the depressing side of Pakistan ,we need to show the world what they don't know!
I agree with certain comments here. Firstly Shahzad Nawaz Sahib is correct. In a country where a nobody like Dr. Shah snatches the flag from a champion wrestler (whose name you'd have to Google to recall) who is to say people will get their dues credit for their sweat and dreams?
Anyone working or trying to get into the entertainment business knows this place is controlled by just a handfull of people and please dont ask me to start on TV channels or the fashion industry for that matter.
Also, I respect Sharmin for her achievements for Pakistan but she has to first make a feature length film to have a say at all in this decission. Moreover, a basic criteria to be a part of this "committee" should be to have made a feature film that was screened in cinemas. Even in the USA the criteria to submit a film for the Oscars is for it to be over 45 min which qualifies It to be feature length and should have been screeened for public view for at least a week in LA. If we keep the same rules here.. how many people qualify to have a say on this subject?
Who is Sharmeen Chinnoy?
@above comments: Same discussion each time when Movie topic is raised. Also so many rhetorical questions!!
@Rational Liberal Along with Slumdog Millionaire why you are forgetting "GANDHI" which nearly won all the Oscars. Winning Oscar is not a criteria of any good movie, but it should touch the masses with cinematic art. Reward comes from the audience, not from the Oscar committee. .
Who is Shahzad Nawaz?
If the above committee could be named as Karachi Committee rather than Oscar Committee then it will be much better as it seems to be the only Qualification for them to be on this list.
@rational Liberal: Not to nitpick but Slumdog Millionaire was a British film and all the comments against it were made by people much like yourself, except they were Indians naturally
Shahzad Nawaz makes some average film for a niche audience which gives him the right to declare he has a "share in the market"...delusional. Has he even seen 'A Separation'?
Miss Chinnoy may not make mainstream feature films but documentary does come under film-making, that is why there is a an award category for it at the Oscars. Until Mr Nawaz produces a worthy film that generates good reviews and has actually done well at the Box Office, I suggest he keeps his criticisms to himself.
@not impressed: Miss. Chinnoy is totally unfit. however, Rahat Kazmi did make mehmaan, a movie that ran in cinemas for nearly two years. so he is someone who knows the craft well.
I'm not sure what sort of context Shahzad Nawaz is referring to here. Perhaps the film should have implied that throwing acid on defenseless girls is actually part of Pakistani culture. That would have certainly been a lot more patriotic.
another hotbed of corruption getting formed.. when even ordinary pakis hardly watch our movies, and all that we produce is a set of junk stories and distasteful pashto dances, that too may be 10-12 a year, we are gonig for oscars??!!! It amazes me on the ridicule idea and people who instead of focussing on how to keep the industry alive on least, wants to aim for moon. This lady should be ashamed to have disgraced the country and portrayed its negative image throughout the world. That too, she is just another person in the team, which was mainly western, who wanted to make us show down, and they succeeded.
I agree 100% with Shahzad Nawaz, I'm a liberal myself and as much as I am critical of Pakistan, I'm also a patriot, and I understand that the western world has always tried to patronize the east and make it look inferior, that's why it's usually the movies that expose certain moral failings in eastern cultures, that win awards.
India made many great movies, but why did only Slumdog win an Oscar?
They're just trying to orientalise Pakistan.
Shahzad Nawaz SOUNDS like the typical Pakistani cry baby who questions a brave move made by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and further on he confirms at the high sprung jealousy that she " won Oscars last year for films that humiliated and degraded their countries"really he is a part of Lollywood that sat doing nothing and now that there is a young new crop of talented men and women who are producing independent films of quality. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy put Pakistan film media on the map and Shahzad Nawaz made a mediocre film. I don't understand why Shahzad Nawaz & the other critics are ready the rant now but did not initiate this Pakistan’s first Academy award committee they were lazy and did nothing to promote the Film Industry on an international scale. Now everyone is ready jump on the bandwagon on negativity to make themselves relevant instead of trying to work together to better the Film Industry and their colleagues.
“Both Iran and Pakistan won Oscars last year for films that humiliated and degraded their countries." Yes, once again it's the films that 'humiliate and degrade' the country, not the reality of the issues those films explore. And what exactly was it about 'A Separation' that degraded Iran? Please, someone enlighten me.
Why should Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy screen feature films for the Oscars? She has never even made a feature film herself.. she makes documentaries! Also, what do theater people know about film? Rahat Kazmi is a great, but what does he have to do with filmmaking? Theater and feature films are not the same thing!