KARACHI — Two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy marked the conclusion of the seventh edition of Patakha Pictures’ flagship filmmaking grant and mentorship programme, Stories She Tells, celebrating eight emerging women filmmakers from Karachi, Multan, Lahore, Chitral and Quetta.
The showcase, held in Karachi, featured the first public unveiling of the fellows’ film trailers and offered an early look at four intimate and deeply personal stories shaped over the six-month programme.
Patakha Pictures’ Mentorship Programme Highlights Women’s Voices
Patakha Pictures—an initiative of SOC Films in partnership with the British Council and the Scottish Documentary Institute—supports women-led documentary films exploring themes of resilience, cultural heritage, performance, music, spirituality and identity.
This year’s fellows worked in pairs and underwent an intensive online mentorship series led by Noe Mendelle, founder of the Scottish Documentary Institute, before concluding with an in-person editing and final session in Karachi.
Introducing the 2025 Patakha Pictures Fellows
Pair 1: Mahjabeen Abid & Maryam Missal (Multan, Punjab) – Malangni
The film follows a 44-year-old Saraiki theatre performer confronting fading stardom and the emotional cost of a life devoted to the stage.
Pair 2: Syeda Abqurah Shaukat & Faryal Diwan (Karachi, Sindh) – Saaz, Dhi, Azadi
The documentary traces a woman’s devotion to the tanbooro and her struggle to claim a musical tradition historically barred to her.
Pair 3: Mehrosh Alam & Sana Hussain (Chitral / Lahore) – Muntazir
The film explores the life of Sundari Jee, a trans nohakhawan and dancer navigating devotion, contradiction and emotional invisibility.
Pair 4: Sumbal Khokhar & Fizza Kanwal (Quetta, Balochistan) – Eagle Woman of Balochistan
The story follows Hameeda, an activist whose fight against injustice has turned her into a symbol of resistance in Balochistan.
Industry Leaders Praise Patakha Pictures’ Impact
The event was attended by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, international mentor Noe Mendelle, and senior representatives of partner organisations.
Obaid-Chinoy said the programme demonstrates the power of storytelling when women are given the space, trust and resources to narrate their own realities.
“This showcase reflects what happens when you nurture talent, fund emerging voices and believe in women shaping the cultural memory of this country,” she said.
British Council Country Director James Hampson reaffirmed the organisation’s support. “We are proud to back a programme that strengthens creative expression and equips emerging filmmakers with real-world skills,” he said.
Patakha Pictures Continues to Build Global Pathways for Women Filmmakers
Since 2022, Patakha Pictures has supported 69 filmmakers whose projects have earned more than 25 awards and screened at over 70 festivals worldwide—including New York, Seoul, Montreal, Milan, Karachi and Canberra.
The 2025 cohort builds on this legacy by expanding the landscape of women-led storytelling in Pakistan.
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