LAHORE: Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq said his film about love between a transgender girl and a young boy, which won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film at the 76th Venice Film Festival last week, was “a protest about what we can and cannot talk about in Pakistan.”
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Sadiq, who wrote and directed the short film called ‘Darling,’ spoke about the need to break taboos and to celebrate less-talked about subcultures in the Muslim majority country of 208 million people.
“I was inspired to make Darling as a protest about what we can and cannot talk about in Pakistan. However, I didn’t want to portray it in a depressing and tragic way... rather (in) a celebratory way. I wanted to set it in the subculture of the mujra dance world that is extremely vibrant and also a culture that we don’t own or talk about,” he said, referring to a particular South Asian dance format for women.
“I wanted to do a film that talked about sexuality in Pakistan because it’s something we don’t speak about in films, books or television,” he said.
On the impact his film might go on to have on the future of Pakistani cinema, the young film-maker said he hoped his international success would spark more originality and less replication, for an industry he said was undergoing its “rebirth.”
“I hope this film allows people to redefine what you can make as a Pakistani film and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a commercial ‘masala’ film,” he said.
“We’re at a stage in the industry where its rebirth is happening and we don’t have to replicate the films of Hollywood, Bollywood or Iran. We can be more specific to our culture and our cinematic language. I also hope the visibility from Darling can land more work for Alina and hopefully other trans actors who want to work in the entertainment industry but don’t find a space where they feel welcome,” he said.
The film’s stars are Abdullah Malik and Alina Khan. Khan, who is a transgender girl off-camera as well, made her acting debut in the award-winning film and was selected despite stiff competition.
“Casting for “Darling” was not an easy task,” Sana Jafri, casting and assistant director for the film, told Arab News.
“We wanted to stay true to the essence of the film, set in a stage theater in Lahore. It’s tougher to find and work with non-actors, but we went through that route as these new and raw actors bring a certain level of authenticity, honesty, and nuance on-screen,” she said.
Jafri has worked with the transgender community in the eastern city of Lahore for the last three years and was also nominated for a prestigious national award for her music video, “Madam,” which highlighted the everyday lives of transgender persons in Pakistan. Jafri met Khan through her various projects in the community and they quickly became friends.
When the Darling team struggled to find the right fit for the character of the lead female role despite scores of auditions, Jafri set up a meeting between Sadiq and Khan.
“It was not an audition that we went for, but just to get to know a transgender dancer and her life. Since we were at her place, she was more comfortable and opened up more and when Saim saw her dance, lost in her own world, we shared a glance and knew... she is our darling,” Jafri said.
After years of brutal persecution, transgender Pakistanis gained recognition in 2009 when the Supreme Court granted them special status with rights equal to other citizens and ruled they could receive national identity cards as a “third sex.”
Through the making of the film, Jafri and Sadiq said they took cues from Khan to more authentically tailor the role to her real-life experiences.
Darling is set to screen next at the Toronto International Film Festival which runs until September 15 this year.
Pakistani award-winning film, Darling, is a ‘protest,’ says director Saim Sadiq
https://arab.news/pjt77
Pakistani award-winning film, Darling, is a ‘protest,’ says director Saim Sadiq
- The film won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film at the 76th Venice Film Festival last week
- Highlights less-talked about subcultures in the the country
Fam Jam: Husband succeeds wife as chief traffic officer in Pakistan’s Lahore
- Amara Athar was appointed first women head of Lahore traffic police last year
- She handed over the reins last week to her hudband DIG Athar Waheed
ISLAMABAD: The incoming Lahore Chief Traffic Officer is no stranger to Amara Athar, the Pakistani cultural capital’s first women head of traffic police, who handed over the reins this month to her successor.
In a twist that has led to widespread social media commentary, DIG Athar Waheed, who was appointed as Lahore CTO on Saturday, is the husband of Amara. His appointment has also led to the upgrade of the CTO position to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
“It was an honor to be your Chief Traffic Officer for the year 2024,” Amara said on X. “May you all continue to work with dedication and professionalism for the safety of road users.”
BS-19 police officer Amara was appointed Lahore CTO last December, making her the first woman police officer to hold the key traffic control assignment in the provincial capital of Punjab.
“Ms Athar replaced retired Capt Mustansar Feroz, who had been holding the the Lahore CTO post for the last one year,” Punjab police said in a statement at the time, adding that there were many male contenders for the top slot of the Lahore traffic police, but Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar preferred the decorated woman officer.
Amara was the fourth woman police officer posted in Lahore under Anwar, showing the Punjab Inspector General’s “policy of prioritising female officers for the field assignments in a bid to change the decades-old tradition of ‘male dominant’ policing in the province,” Punjab police said.
Pakistan stock market registers second highest single-day gain on ‘easing political noise’
- The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 4,411 points, or 4.3 percent, to close at 113,924 points on Monday, according to stock traders
- The development came as Pakistan’s government holds talks with ex-PM Imran Khan’s PTI opposition party to address political polarization
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) began the week on a strong note and gained more than 4,000 points on Monday, stock analysts said, attributing the rally to “easing political noise” and upbeat economic indicators.
The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 4,411 points, or 4.3 percent, to close at 113,924 points on Monday, according to stock traders. The market saw the trading of 424,809,788 shares and registered the second highest single-day gain from Friday’s close of 109,513 points.
Stock analysts said upbeat economic indicators on surging exports, remittances and foreign exchange reserves as well as the government’s talks with the opposition Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party played a catalyst role in the rally.
“Stocks’ bullish record led by scrips across the board as investor weigh falling lending rates after fall in government bond yield and easing political noise,” Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer of Arif Habib Commodities, told Arab News.
Mehanti’s comments came hours after the Pakistani government held a first round of talks with jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI party to address political polarization in the country.
Pakistan has remained gripped by political unrest and uncertainty since Khan’s ouster from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, which has also exacerbated Pakistan’s economic hardships.
However, Pakistan’s economic indicators have improved and the stock market has surged significantly, reaching a historic high of 117,039 points this month. Though the market shed around 9,000 points last week, but it recovered on Friday by registering a sharp increase of more than 3,000 points.
Pakistan’s central bank this month cut its key interest rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent, marking the fifth straight reduction since June. The country’s annual consumer inflation also slowed to 4.9 percent in November, lower than the government’s forecast and the lowest in nearly six years. This was down from 38 percent last year.
Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics also supports positive investor sentiment as the trade deficit narrowed by 7.39 percent during the first five months (July-November) of the current fiscal year, standing at $8.651 billion, compared to $9.341 billion during the same period last year.
Exports rose by 12.57 percent to hit $13.69 billion, while imports increased by 3.90 percent to $22.342 billion during this period. November’s trade deficit narrowed even further, dropping by 18.60 percent year-on-year to $1.589 billion compared to $1.952 billion in November 2023.
Pakistan recorded an increase of 29.1 percent year on year in workers remittances, which amounted to $2.9 billion in November, according to the central bank data. The inflows rose by 33.6 percent to $14.8 billion from July till November, compared to $11.1 billion received during the same period last year.
PM hails Pakistan for ‘unstoppable, unbeatable’ performance in South Africa ODI series
- Green Shirts thrashed South Africa 3-0 after losing Twenty20 series 2-0
- Pakistan will now play three Tests against South Africa later this month
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday praised the Pakistan cricket team for winning a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa, describing their performance as “unstoppable and unbeatable.”
The Green Shirts completed a series clean sweep over South Africa in the third ODI at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, with rising star Saim Ayub smashing his second century of the series and his third from five innings.
The left-handed opening batsman made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine. Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa, but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308 because of rain.
“Unstoppable and unbeatable!” Sharif remarked in a post on X. “Congratulations to Team Pakistan on an outstanding 3-0 ODI series victory against South Africa.”
The prime minister also praised the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman for the team’s performance.
“Well done, boys! Your determination, skill, and teamwork under the leadership of the PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi have made the entire nation proud,” he said.
“Keep raising the green flag high!“
South Africa won the T20I series 2-0 after the third match was washed out on Dec. 14. The ODI series win comes ahead of the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will hosting in February and March 2025.
Pakistan will also play three Tests against South Africa later this month.
Government, Imran Khan party hold first round of formal talks, next session on Jan. 2
- Negotiations began after Khan threatened civil disobedience, seeking the release of political prisoners
- There are growing concerns among PTI that Khan may face military trial for 2023 riots involving followers
ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan held the first round of formal negotiations on Monday in a bid to ease prolonged political tensions, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing at the next session on Jan. 2.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 has plunged the country into long-term political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters regularly hold protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent, including one last month in which the government says four troops were killed and the PTI says 12 of its supporters died.
Khan has previously rejected talks with the government, saying his party would only talk to the ‘real powerbrokers’ in Pakistan, the all-powerful army, but earlier this month he set up a negotiating committee of top party leaders to open dialogue with the government for the fulfilment of two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
The talks open as Khan has threatened a civil dissidence movement and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9 protests.
“Since some members of the opposition could not join the talks today, we have decided to hold the next meeting on Jan. 2,” National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the meeting, said at the end of the first round of negotiations. “The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting.”
He said the talks were held in a “cordial” environment, calling them vital to end “political polarization” in the country.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, also from the government side, said both sides agreed parliament was the appropriate forum to resolve political differences and emphasized that the negotiation process should continue.
Speaking to the media after the talks, Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, said the PTI team had asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission chaired by senior Supreme Court judges to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 protests.
“We should be allowed to hold a meeting with Imran Khan,” Qaiser said. “He is our leader. We will move forward with his instructions.”
He said the government had said it would arrange the meeting but it was not clear when.
The negotiations came days after Pakistan’s military announced prison sentences for 25 people involved in the May 9 protests, which PTI has demanded be investigated. The PTI has also repeatedly said it fears the government and military will try Khan in army courts for the May 9 violence. He is already being tried for the violence in a civilian court.
Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance
- Chawmos festival is celebrated in December by the Kalash people, who are numbered around 4,000
- Festival marks welcoming of new year, celebrated with dance, animal sacrifice, singing and feasting
PESHAWAR: A religious winter festival celebrated by the Kalash people in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral has concluded after featuring rituals, traditional dance and other festivities for two weeks, provincial tourism authority said on Monday.
The Kalash are a group of about 4,000 people, possibly Pakistan’s smallest minority, who live in the mountains of the Hindu Kush, where they practice an ancient polytheistic faith.
They come together each year in December to celebrate the two-week Chawmos festival after the community finishes fieldwork and stores cheese, fruit, vegetables and grains for the year.
The festival features various rituals, animal sacrifice, dance, songs and feasting, preserving the Kalash culture and attracting a number of tourists to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The religious Chawmos festival of the ancient Kalash Valley has concluded,” Mohammad Saad, a spokesperson for the KP Tourism Authority, said in a statement.
“The festival continued from Dec. 8 in the three valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.”
The Kalash community’s religion incorporates animiztic traditions of worshipping nature as well as a pantheon of gods, and its people live mainly in the three Kalash valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.
The Chawmos festival is celebrated to welcome the new year, with the Kalash people indulging in religious practices and distributing vegetables and fruit among each other, according to the official.
The festival was attended by a large number of domestic and foreign tourists who were fully facilitated by the provincial tourism authority.
