Pakistani films that caught global spotlight in 2022

This combination of pictures created on December 21, 2022 of four Pakistani movie stills shows (clockwise from top left) scenes from the short film Sandstorm released in September 2021, feature film Kamli released in June 2022, The Legend of Maula Jatt released in October 2022, and Joyland released in November 2022. (AN Photo)
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Updated 21 December 2022
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Pakistani films that caught global spotlight in 2022

  • The year 2022 has been ecstatic in terms of Pakistani cinema making waves worldwide
  • ‘Joyland,’ ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt,’ ‘Kamli’ became face of local cinema around the globe

KARACHI: The year 2022 was groundbreaking for Pakistani cinema in terms of its representation and recognition abroad.

From Saba Qamar-starrer ‘Kamli’ to ‘Joyland,’ the critically acclaimed Pakistani Oscar entry, to the reboot of ‘Maula Jatt,’ Arab News Pakistan brings you a list of Pakistani films that received international recognition in 2022 for their powerful storylines, brilliant skills of actors and the themes they were centered around.

Kamli




This screengrab, taken on December 14, 2022, from the trailer of the Pakistani movie "Kamli" features actors Sania Saeed (right) and Saba Qamar (left). (Photo courtesy: Khoosat Films)

Sarmad Sultan Khoosat’s film Kamli, which released in cinemas across Pakistan on June 3, is set for its European premiere next month at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam’s (IFFR) the Limelight Programme. Prior to this, the film was screened at the Indus Valley International Film Festival (IVIFF) 2022 in Chandigarh, India.

Saba Qamar, who plays the lead role in Kamli, won the IVIFF 2022 Best Actress trophy for her performance. Kamli revolves around a woman’s struggle between loyalty to long-missing husband and her carnal desires. Besides Qamar, the critically and commercially acclaimed Pakistani movie starred Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha and debutant Hamza Khawaja.

The film received immense appreciation after its release in Pakistan and had a full-house throughout its run in cinemas across the country.

Speaking of Pakistani cinema getting recognition abroad, Qamar told Arab News in an earlier interview: “Our dramas are popular beyond borders but films like The Legend of Maula Jatt, Kamli and Joyland represent the best of Pakistani cinema abroad.”

Joyland




This image released by Khoosat Films shows a scene from the film "Joyland." (Photo courtesy: Khoosat Films via AP)

Joyland, Pakistan’s official entry for the upcoming Academy Awards, made the most headlines this year. The movie first got critical acclaim in May after it won the Cannes “Queer Palm” prize for the best feminist-themed movie as well as the Jury Prize in the “Un Certain Regard” competition, a segment focusing on young, innovative cinema talent.

Joyland left Cannes audiences slack-jawed and admiring, and got a nearly 10-minute-long standing ovation from the opening night’s crowd.

The movie released across Pakistan, except the Punjab province, on November 18, after much speculation at home. While makers continue to fight for its release in the most populous Pakistani province, the film is headed to Sundance Film Festival 2023 that will take place from January 19 till January 29.

Besides, Joyland also screened at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, where it won the ‘Best Film’ from the subcontinent for 2022. Among other international festivals, the movie had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.

The Legend of Maula Jatt




This handout picture shows the movie poster of Pakistan's Punjabi film "The Legend of Maula Jatt" released in October 2022. (Photo courtesy: Online)

Bilal Lashari’s long-awaited cinematic outing, The Legend of Maula Jatt broke all previous box office records for any Pakistani movie, not just at home but across the globe. Besides Pakistan, the film released in the Middle East, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

A reboot of the 1979 cult classic, Maula Jatt, the Punjabi action film starred Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi in key roles. Touted as the most expensive film in Pakistan’s history, the film crossed the budget of almost 50 crores ($2.2 million), including marketing and advertising, according to the film’s distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla.

The film’s plot revolves around Maula Jatt, a fierce prizefighter with a tortured past who seeks vengeance against his arch nemesis, Noori Natt, considered the most feared warrior in Punjab.

According to official numbers, the film crossed the figure of 200 crores ($8.8 million) worldwide, while it crossed 95 crores ($4.2 million) in Pakistan as of December 19.

Sandstorm




This still from the Pakistani short film Sandstorm, released in September 2021, shows the protagonist Zara sitting in an empty classroom. (Photo courtesy: YouTube/Seemab Gul)

Pakistan director Seemab Gul’s short film, Sandstorm won big at Oscar-qualifying festivals, HollyShorts and the Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) 2022. Sandstorm emerged as one of the top three winners at HollyShorts 2022, while it won the Best Live Action title at RIIFF 2022.

The short film had its world premiere at the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival in September 2021. Since then, it has made it to nearly 50 festivals worldwide, including the prestigious Sundance Film Festival and Ischia Film Festival (IFF) in 2022, where it bagged three trophies.

Written and directed by London-based filmmaker Gul, Sandstorm revolves around a schoolgirl in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, who shares a dance video with a boy she meets online. The story takes a sinister turn, when the boy blackmails her with the video.

“It is wonderful to represent Pakistan and most importantly, a female story from the female perspective, which is actually rare in the mainstream industry,” Gul told Arab News in an interview in August.

The filmmaker is now eyeing the Oscars’ shortlist, for which only 10 films will be selected by the end of January. Out of these 10, only five are nominated for the award.


‘The Last of Us’ voice actor Troy Baker to attend Middle East Film and Comic Con

Updated 02 October 2023
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‘The Last of Us’ voice actor Troy Baker to attend Middle East Film and Comic Con

DUBAI: Troy Baker, the US voice actor known for his roles in video games like “The Last of Us” as well as the “Batman” games, has been announced as the first headlining guest at the 2024 Middle East Film and Comic Con in Abu Dhabi, set to take place from Feb. 9 -11. 

The prolific voice actor, most famous for portraying Joel Miller in “The Last of Us” franchise, which is now a popular HBO live-action series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, has also featured in games including “Uncharted 4y,” “BioShock Infinite,” ‘Persona 4” and “Final Fantasy XIII.”  

Baker has also voiced Batman, Joker, Hawkeye, and Loki in various media, and has provided voices for a number of English dubs of anime, including “Bleach,” “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,” 
Naruto: Shippuden,” “Code Geass” and “Soul Eater.”  

Early bird tickets to the annual pop culture celebration are now available to purchase on the event’s website. 


Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show

Updated 02 October 2023
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Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show

DUBAI: Part-Middle Eastern actress Yara Shahidi was on hand as designer Sarah Burton presented her final collection as the creative head of Alexander McQueen in a Paris Fashion Week show attended by the who’s who of Hollywood.  

“Bittersweet Goodbye @alexandermcqueen. I’m grateful to have witnessed (and worn) Sarah Burton’s magic on the McQueen runway … until her next adventure,” Shahidi, whose father is Iranian, posted on Instagram on Sunday.  

Burton, with a profound respect for legacy and an unmistakable innovative touch, presented her magnum opus for Alexander McQueen Saturday night, the Associated Press reported.  

Her task had always been titanic – to step into shoes left empty by the enigmatic genius of Lee Alexander McQueen. The fashion maestro’s unexpected departure wasn’t just a personal loss; it marked the end of an era of theatrical, emotion-laden masterpieces. But Burton, rather than just filling a void, lit it up. She wielded her tapestry of design, interweaving McQueen’s audacious spirit with her softer, more feminine aesthetic. This dance of duality was evident in her farewell collection, where each piece told its story. The slashed bodices, the evocative blood-red laced spines, and the influence of Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz’s work showcased an artistry that was both fierce and tender. 

No detail was left untouched. From the profound artistry of British royal Kate Middleton’s wedding gown — a garment that transcended expectations — to her final collection’s poignant motifs, Burton proved her mettle time and again. The iconic rose, emblematic open-heart embroidery, and the magnetic close by Naomi Campbell in a sculpted silver bugle bead dress, all converged in a collection that was both homage and evolution.

And as the last piece sashayed down the runway, the room — filled with powerful editors and actresses like Cate Blanchett and Elle Fanning — rose in a rousing standing ovation. 

For her part, Shahidi showed off a red, sculptured dress from the new collection as she sat on the front row. According to the label, Burton’s “McQueen Anatomy II” collection was inspired by female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I, the concept of the blood rose and the work of Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz. 


Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week

Updated 02 October 2023
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Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week

DUBAI: Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair had all eyes on her as she walked the runway for famed Lebanese designer Elie Saab as he showcased the label’s Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week on Saturday.

The model showcased two unique-but-breezy looks on the runway for the collection titled ‘Moonlight Shadow.’

In the show notes, the label described the Elie Saab woman as, “always ready for moonlight gatherings in radiant day looks that bring blissful glimmers to the evening.”

“Flowing open-back summer dresses with scalloped hemlines are garden-fresh in oversized white English lace. Wisps of citrus organza flowers flourish from the monochromatic hemlines of billowing silk bomber jackets. Chunky tromp-l’oeil sapphires, rubies and platinum chains trace a white kaftan with a sleek cape,” it continued.

“Of course, the party is never complete without raffia leather platforms, mini top-handle bags and extravagant gemstone jewellery.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ELIE SAAB (@eliesaabworld)

Previously, Al-Zuhair also hit the runway for Japanese-helmed label Yohji Yamamoto and French jewelry brand Messika at Paris Fashion Week, just days after she walked for French label Balmain.

Japanese fashion designer Yamamoto, who is based in Tokyo and Paris, sent models down the runway in an assortment of all-black looks as part of the labels Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Earlier in the week, Al-Zuhair opened the Balmain show during Paris Fashion Week. 

The rising star, who was born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, wore a white polka dot jumpsuit with colorful three-dimensional flower designs around the chest.  

When Gertrude Stein, a close confidant of house founder Pierre Balmain, penned “a rose is a rose is a rose,” she likely never envisaged its metamorphosis into a Paris runway’s guiding theme. Yet, designer Olivier Rousteing, embracing this iconic friendship, orchestrated a floral ode for Balmain’s Spring 2024 show. 

Rousteing channeled the essence of Balmain’s couture from the late 1940s and early 1950s, celebrating Balmain’s architectural wizardry. With every fold, cut and stitch, he echoed the legacy of the maison, fused with his own brazen touch. Sprinklings of the petit pois (polka dot), a staple from Monsieur Balmain’s era, added whimsy amid the blossoming rose narrative. 


Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list

Updated 01 October 2023
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Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list

DUBAI: Middle Eastern designer Rami Al-Ali has become the first Syrian fashion designer to be included in the BoF 500 list, the Business of Fashion’s index of the people shaping the fashion industry.

“Privileged to be included in #BOF500 2023, thank you @imranamed for your trust and your vision,” posted Al-Ali on Instagram, acknowledging Imran Amed, the founder and CEO of BoF.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rami Al Ali (@r_al_ali)

While Al-Ali has had a loyal celebrity and royal following in the Middle East for years, more recently he has dressed global stars including Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Naomi Campbell.

Al-Ali has demonstrated a commitment to nurturing young designers through mentorship programs with the Esmod Fashion Institute in Dubai and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council. He is the founder of Ard Dyar, an initiative dedicated to empowering upcoming Syrian talents by connecting them with accomplished leaders in the industry.


Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week

Updated 30 September 2023
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Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week

DUBAI: Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair hit the runway for Japanese-helmed label Yohji Yamamoto and French jewelry brand Messika at Paris Fashion Week, just days after she walked for French label Balmain.

Japanese fashion designer Yamamoto, who is based in Tokyo and Paris, sent models down the runway in an assortment of all-black looks as part of the labels Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Earlier in the week, Al-Zuhair opened the Balmain show during Paris Fashion Week. 

The rising star, who was born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, wore a white polka dot jumpsuit with colorful three-dimensional flower designs around the chest.  

When Gertrude Stein, a close confidant of house founder Pierre Balmain, penned “a rose is a rose is a rose,” she likely never envisaged its metamorphosis into a Paris runway’s guiding theme. Yet, designer Olivier Rousteing, embracing this iconic friendship, orchestrated a floral ode for Balmain’s Spring 2024 show. 

Rousteing channeled the essence of Balmain’s couture from the late 1940s and early 1950s, celebrating Balmain’s architectural wizardry. With every fold, cut and stitch, he echoed the legacy of the maison, fused with his own brazen touch. Sprinklings of the petit pois (polka dot), a staple from Monsieur Balmain’s era, added whimsy amid the blossoming rose narrative.