Join us for the very first Salaam Pakistan Film Festival, a small but mighty touring film programme taking place across the North of England and the Midlands; coming to Manchester, Birmingham, Rochdale, Oldham, Halifax, Leeds and Bradford.
The festival will include a number of short films produced by local artists.
SAVING FACE
Double Bill Screening With A GIRL IN THE RIVER
Director – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Winning the Best Short Documentary Oscar 2012, Obaid-Chinoy explores the harrowing issue of acid attacks that claim hundreds of victims in Pakistan and elsewhere each year. Saving Face follows the empowering quest of several young women survivors as they fight for justice and one Pakistani plastic surgeon who has returned to his homeland to dedicate his life to help save faces and lives.
A GIRL IN THE RIVER
Double Bill Screening With SAVING FACE
Director – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
In this 2016 Oscar winning film Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy depicts the true story of a young woman who survives an honour killing attempt. Making it out of a river alive she tries to re-build her life and take her own family to court for the attempted murder. Through this journey the woman finds hope, but at the same time the struggle for reconciliation and justice is a longer road.
RAHM
Director – Ahmed Jamal
In this political thriller the governor of Lahore retires from his role and is succeeded by a ruthless bureaucrat who believes that the city needs stricter laws and harsher punishments. Fear soon grips the city when he punishes and imprisons a young man for getting his fiancée pregnant. The man’s sister, with the help of the ex-governor, set out to free him but along the way the young woman is forced to walk the line between protecting her honour and saving her brother’s life.
Screening alongside the short film Ruksati by Anwar Shad
Double bill Screening alongside the film Being Muslim & Rochdalian by Zafar Iqbal
JOSH
Director – Iram Parveen Bilal
Pakistani Director Iram Parveen Bilal flies in especially from Los Angeles to present her thought-provoking drama, about an upper class school teacher who, after her nanny strangely disappears, goes in search of her. Arriving at the nanny’s feudal home village the teacher uncovers a dangerous truth that will quickly destabilise her world. Starring Aamina Sheikh and Mohib Mirza, Josh is a compelling film about class and social struggle that takes no prisoners.
Screening with Jalwa,
a short film by Usman Farooqi & Marcus Nisar
LAKEER
Director – Shiv Dutt
We present the Premiere of the UK-Pakistani film. A compelling and tearjerker epic love story set during the Partition. A love struck young couple build their hopes and dreams in 1940s Jammu & Kashmir, but with the Partition of Pakistan and India they are pulled apart. Never giving up their love they correspond and aim to meet again one day. Moving forward to the 21st century as both countries agree to allow cross-border travel the now aged lovers aim to re-unite, but will their plan succeed?
Thanks to all our great partners:
Main Partners:
BFI National Lottery Film Audience Network
Film Hub North
Rangoonwala Foundation
Venue Partners:
HOME (Manchester)
Picturehouse at National Science and Media Museum
Hyde Park Picture House
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Square Chapel Arts Centre
Community Partners:
Ahinsam – The Council of Indian Languages and Culture
Alliance of Kashmiri Arts (AKA) – Celebrating Kashmiri Heritage
Arts Matrix Academy – Business and Community Development
Asian Literary Forum
Fatima Women’s Association
Halifax Opportunities Trust
Hamara – Bringing Communities Together
Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre, Halifax
M6 Theatre, Rochdale
Step Up, Speak Up – Your Voice Matters
Volunteer Centre Bradford
Zafar Ali Films.
