ISLAMABAD: Renowned Pakistani documentary filmmaker Mohammed Ali Naqvi has been nominated for a Emmy Award 2024 in the category of Outstanding Historical Documentary for ‘Turning Point: The Bomb & The Cold War’, a critically acclaimed Netflix series.
The nomination marks Naqvi’s fourth career Emmy nod, further solidifying his standing as one of the most celebrated Pakistani filmmakers recognised by the US Television Academy.
His work continues to receive global attention for its powerful storytelling and journalistic insight.
‘Turning Point: The Bomb & The Cold War’ is a nine-part series that explores the origins and consequences of the Cold War and its lasting impact on today’s global politics.
Directed by Emmy winner Brian Knappenberger and produced by Naqvi, the series was filmed over two years across seven countries.
It features exclusive interviews with world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, former CIA Director Robert Gates, and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The series was widely praised for its depth and narrative scope. Upon its release, it reached the #3 spot on the Netflix Original Series chart and amassed over 621 million minutes streamed within its initial weeks, according to platform data.
This latest nomination adds to Naqvi’s growing list of international accolades.
In 2023, he became the first Pakistani to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for The Accused: Damned or Devoted?
He also holds the distinction of being the first Pakistani recipient of the Television Academy Honour, awarded in 2008 for his Showtime documentary Shame.
Beyond his creative accomplishments, Naqvi plays a leading role in representing Pakistan on the global cinema stage.
He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and currently chairs the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee.
He also co-founded the Crescent Collective, which helped establish Pakistan’s first official presence at the Cannes Film Festival in partnership with Global Lens Day and the American Pavilion.
In a further recognition of his impact, Naqvi was recently named a 2025 Concordia Fellow by the Oscar-winning Concordia Studio, founded by filmmaker Davis Guggenheim.
The fellowship supports innovative non-fiction storytellers working to amplify underrepresented voices and redefine the documentary genre.
