Occasion showcased women-directed movies from internationally, highlighted rising curiosity in female-led cinema
Ladies Worldwide Movie Competition (WIFF X) Lahore chapter.
LAHORE:
Numerous households, movie lovers and college students from varied universities gathered on the Olomopolo Theatre head workplace in Lahore on Sunday to attend the second and concluding day of the Ladies Worldwide Movie Competition (WIFF X) Lahore chapter.
The occasion showcased girls directed movies from internationally and highlighted the rising curiosity in feminine led cinema and storytelling in Pakistan.
The Lahore chapter was produced by Ladies Via Movie and fashioned a part of the bigger framework of the Ladies Worldwide Movie Competition, which is the annual flagship competition of Ladies Via Movie based mostly in Islamabad. The Lahore version was organised with Bilqul Creates serving because the implementing accomplice within the metropolis. Notably, the primary annual flagship occasion of WIFF was held concurrently in Islamabad on February 1415, 2026, reinforcing the competition’s nationwide scope and unified imaginative and prescient throughout cities.
Day 2 of the competition opened with a DSLR Filmmaking Workshop performed in collaboration with Shutterhub. The arms on session was designed for rising artists with a particular deal with empowering girls by offering entry to technical information. Members have been launched to digicam mechanics, primary cinematography, and the visible language of storytelling, serving to them achieve confidence behind the lens. Organisers acknowledged that such initiatives purpose to democratise filmmaking expertise and encourage extra girls to enter technical and artistic roles inside the business.
A significant spotlight of the day was a panel dialogue titled “The Transindustrial Panorama for Pakistani Filmmakers.” The dialogue featured Nirmal Bano, Ilsa Gillani, and Fatema Zara, who shared insights into how up to date Pakistani filmmakers are navigating promoting, digital platforms, unbiased cinema and world markets. The panellists spoke candidly about sustainability, funding challenges, inventive autonomy and the quickly evolving industrial ecosystem shaping the way forward for storytelling in Pakistan. College students and younger filmmakers actively engaged with the audio system, asking questions on profession pathways and the realities of working throughout a number of platforms.
One other nicely attended session was a particular Q&A with Zenith Irfan, specializing in the making of the biographical movie Bike Lady, which is impressed by her life and journey. The dialog explored themes of illustration, braveness, and adaptation, and examined how real-life tales of Pakistani girls could be translated successfully onto the display screen. The session resonated strongly with audiences, notably younger girls, who seen Irfan’s story as a logo of resilience and breaking societal obstacles.
In response to competition organisers, a complete of 11 movies on numerous themes have been screened on the ultimate day. These movies addressed social points, cultural values and lengthy standing taboos, providing nuanced views via a feminine lens. Ladies filmmakers current on the competition additionally interacted with college students, guiding them on trendy requirements of movie route and manufacturing and sharing sensible recommendation drawn from their skilled experiences.
The competition concluded with an brisk closing DJ set by DJ Combine Masala, celebrating inventive sisterhood, group and collective pleasure. The full of life ambiance mirrored the general success of the Lahore chapter and the enthusiastic public response it obtained.
Talking on the event, Annusheh Rahim, a British Pakistani movie director, mentioned that this 12 months the competition obtained its most public response, with college students from completely different universities attending in giant numbers. She described the women-directed movies as masterpieces that highlighted essential social points, cultural values, and taboos. She added that throughout the panel discussions, panellists guided aspiring feminine filmmakers on greatest practices in movie route and defined what newcomers ought to deal with when directing and producing movies.
Organisers additionally acknowledged Madeeha Raza, Founder and Curator of WIFF, whose imaginative and prescient over the previous decade has formed the competition right into a nationwide platform for girls in movie.
With its sturdy turnout and significant conversations, the Lahore chapter of WIFF reaffirmed its dedication to amplifying girls’s voices and strengthening Pakistan’s movie business via inclusive, feminine centred story telling.
