News DeskRaja Furqan Ahmed
Islamabad :Foundation Art Divvy Presented the sixth and final evening of “Divvy Film Festival” in collaboration with Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). Divvy Film Festival, the latest venture of Foundation Art Divvy, has focussed on independent Pakistani films, and includes feature films, short films, documentaries and animated films. Each evening has been curated carefully to create a thoughtful and immersive experience for the viewer, ending with a discussion with the film directors.
This festival has celebrated the breadth and depth of independent films being made by dedicated and talented filmmakers. It has also celebrated the new film diploma course being held by the PNCA. The themes of the films we have shown vary between human stories of love and heartbreak, the resilience of heroic individuals and the trauma of loss, as well as the joy of ordinary and unexpected moments.
On the sixth week, Khamosh Pani by Sabiha Sumar, Jinnah by Jamil Dehlavi was screened. The first film screened was “Khamosh Pani” directed by Sabiha Sumar. The film is based upon Ayesha’s life which revolves around her son Saleem – a gentle, dreamy 18 years old, in love with Zubeida. The story begins in 1979, in a small Pakistani village, under President General Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law where Islamic fundamentalism takes a dangerous turn, encouraging young men to train for Jihad. Ayesha and Zubeida watch helplessly as their Saleem becomes radicalised. Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India pour into the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was abducted in 1947 during the Partition of the Sub-continent. This unravels well-kept secrets that neither Ayesha nor Saleem are prepared to accept.
The second movie was “Jinnah” directed by Jamil Dehlavi. An epic film about the life of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the man who founded Pakistan in the wake of Great Britain’s relinquishment of control over India.
After his death in 1948, Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Christopher Lee) awaits final judgement in the afterlife and must tell the story of his life before celestial bureaucrats decide his fate. His story covers the intense political strife and bloody events that led to the formation of Pakistan.
Attracting much controversy during production, but released to great acclaim, Jamil Dehlavi’s Jinnah is an intelligent and moving piece of cinema, with a performance by Sir Christopher Lee that he personally believed to be the finest of his career.
