World film festival in Islamabad highlights themes of grief, resistance, oppression
Entertainment
The open-air event showcased 11 short films
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Pakistani women filmmakers, along with their colleagues from Egypt, Lebanon, and other countries, showcased short films focusing on powerful themes such as grief, resistance, and patriarchal oppression at the ninth edition of the Women International Film Festival (WIFF) in Islamabad.
The open-air event showcased 11 short films from filmmakers hailing from eight countries, namely Pakistan, Canada, Spain, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Sweden, and France. Three of the films were Pakistani productions while the rest were helmed by international filmmakers.
Each film explored profound themes of grief, resistance and patriarchal oppression.
“This was a dream more than a plan— to encourage women to tell their stories,” Madeeha Raza, WIFF’s curator, told Arab News.
“We try to prioritise locally made films, and I am glad we have three Pakistani films this year. The films from Iran and Lebanon touched upon resistance and war and how that affects the lives of normal people,” she said.
The festival also featured panel discussions on filmmaking and the role of women in it. Anya Raza, whose film about an Afghan teacher dealing with the horrors of conflict, was one of the highlights of the festival.
