By Asma Kundi
ISLAMABAD: A two-day 8th Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival kicked off at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts on Saturday with the screeing of a documentary film ‘The colour of smog” by Jawad Sharif.
The festival, with a focus on the threats being faced by mountains and its people due to climate change, showcases as many as 26 films related to mountains, adventure and culture of more than 10 countries including Pakistan.
Around 14 short films were screened on the first day and the remaining 12 on Sunday.
Due to the ongoing political unrest in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the festival had thin attendance. The hall with a capacity of more than 400 seats was hardly half-filled.
The day started with the screening of a 28 minutes long documentary ‘The Colour of Smog’, directed by Jawad Sharif, highlighting how man-made pollution is causing natural disasters such as smog which is taking a toll on Lahore.
“An Accidental Life”, “The Masked Pyrenees”, “New Way Up”, “Seasons on the Tokyo Trail”, “Aware”, “Dreams of Great Heights” and many more short documentaries grabbed the attention of the audience.
Humaira Kamran, a school teacher from Islamabad who also attends the festival along with her children told World Echo, “I brought my kids to watch these documentaries and films because our young generation will face these challenges. Such festivals are a great source of creating awareness on climate change and the environmental damage we as a nation are causing.”
The festival is being organised in cooperation with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the French embassy in Pakistan.
Wajahat Malik, the Chairman, and Director of the Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival in a press statement called on audiences from twin cities to attend the festival.
“The festival is aimed at not only promoting filmmaking but to make audiences appreciate the natural treasures of mountains that drive international tourism in Pakistan. The festival is particularly a great opportunity for our youth to watch some of the best mountain films from around the world that they otherwise would not be able to access.”
The Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival is one of the three mountain film festivals in Asia and one of the few in the world concentrating on mountain and adventure filmmaking. The festival has been running since 2015 and the theme for the 8th edition is “Saving Indus.”
