Eight film-making students from the National College of Arts, Lahore, were denied a visa to attend the three-day film festival held at NID from February 18-20. But this did not stop their films from bagging the top awards of the festival.
Eight film-making students from the National College of Arts, Lahore, were denied a visa to attend the three-day film festival held at NID from February 18-20. But this did not stop their films from bagging the top awards of the festival.
Jury members of Alpavirama 2011, the film festival organized by the film and video communication department of NID gave away three of the top awards to these Pakistani film-makers.
While Kalu, directed by Naveed Anjum from Pakistan, received the Golden Comma (Fiction) trophy, Missing Vultures by Muhammad Ali Ijaz received the Golden Comma (Documentary) trophy. Both film-makers also received a cash prize of Rs15,000 each. Nisar Ahmed's film Burning Paradise bagged the Special Mention of the Jury (Documentary) award.
Coincidentally, directors Anjum and Ijaz were unaware about their victory and came to know about it only when this DNA reporter informed them. Speaking from Kasur, Lahore, Pakistan, Anjum said, "Receiving an award is definitely exciting specially when you know that your own country does not have a market nor does it have the right investors to support your film.
This might probably be my first and last film, unless I receive another opportunity to make one." Kalu, as Anjum calls it, is an inspirational film and his surroundings at Kasur played a major role in its making.
"You are the one who has given me this news (about winning the prize)," said Ijaz to this reporter. "Missing Vultures was my thesis documentary while studying in NCA. As a child I had always seen vultures flying high in the sky. However, over time and especially today, I don't see the same number anymore. Hence, I decided to make a film on them," he said, elaborating on his film.
Ijaz who loves wildlife, was very excited to visit India and interact with film-makers and students at NID. However, denial of visa came as a major disappointment. But this has not disheartened Lahore-based Ijaz from planning two more films on wildlife, one on leopards and the other on big cats.
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