Pakistani Artists Highlight Opportunities at Jeddah Event
Pakistani filmmakers, including actors Atiqa Odho and Shahzad Nawaz, took center stage at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah to discuss exciting opportunities for collaboration with Saudi artists. The panel, titled Your Next Story Starts Here, explored how Pakistani cinema can expand its reach in the digital age while telling authentic stories.
Bridging Cultures Through Stories
Shahzad Nawaz emphasized Pakistan’s rich 5,000-year-old history and the importance of narrating its own stories before others shape the narrative. He noted that platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max are opening doors for Pakistani content, bringing it to a global audience. Nawaz highlighted that Pakistan’s young, digitally connected population, along with thousands of performing artists and production crew, positions the country for international collaborations.
Atiqa Odho suggested Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could develop collective storytelling, particularly around women’s narratives, reflecting shared human experiences. She added that language barriers no longer limit audience reach, with films like Maula Jatt being dubbed in Mandarin for China.
Embracing Digital Cinema
Both panelists agreed that digital platforms are transforming the film industry. Nawaz stated that cinema, web series, and docudramas are converging as content itself becomes the focus, rather than traditional formats. Despite past challenges with political cinema, Pakistani filmmakers are optimistic about global collaborations and telling untold stories.
The panel ended amid heavy rainfall in Jeddah, prompting the cancellation of remaining sessions, but the discussions left attendees inspired about the future of Pakistani cinema on the global stage.
