Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy launches grants, mentorship programme for women filmmakers in Pakistan

The two-time Oscar winning filmmaker took to social media to announce the launch of her program called Patakha Pictures.

Images Staff

26 Aug, 2021

Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is looking to empower women storytellers and filmmakers in Pakistan through her newly formed grants and mentorship programme called Patakha Pictures

The two-time Oscar winner took to social media to announce the launch of the new platform. "Telling stories that matter is important to me and I also know how hard it is to find the finances and mentorship to do so. At SOC Films we routinely get emails, calls and visits from young women across Pakistan who want to be able to tell their stories," Obaid-Chinoy wrote on Instagram.

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"Today I'm launching a platform that I hope will help them do so. A small grants and mentorship programme for female filmmakers across Pakistan who want to work in short form storytelling. I hope in a few years from now this platform will enable a filmmaker to represent our country at The Academy," she wrote.

Obaid-Chinoy heads SOC Films, a film house that produced Oscar-winning documentary A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, helping the filmmaker bag her second Academy award. She won her first Oscar with the documentary Saving Face released in 2012. The filmmaker also launched White In The Flag — a multi-year project aimed at highlighting the minorities in Pakistan and uplifting their stories.

Comments

Chrís Dăn Aug 26, 2021 03:59pm

What a great news. Thank you Ms.Chinoy. I am sure many women have a lot to share:)

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zee Aug 26, 2021 04:44pm

Why to go Sharmeen, Thank you!

Fazy Aug 26, 2021 05:28pm

What is the source of this funding? Western Zionist NGOs?

Calypso Aug 26, 2021 05:58pm

A noble gesture. Hope others are going to support the initiative. Equal rights for women is one of the pivot factor for progess in many developing countries like Pakistan.

asgher Aug 26, 2021 06:22pm

becoming a proxy to fund more propaganda movies. what is her source of incoming?

nk Aug 26, 2021 08:13pm

Foreign funding again.

Chrís Dăn Aug 26, 2021 09:39pm

@Fazy zionest??? Are you okay? Will you guys allow Pakistan to be a part of global community?

Riazullah Baig Aug 26, 2021 09:56pm

Can't she open a vocational school for ladies in a remote area?

Kaavan Aug 27, 2021 03:18am

@Fazy: WHAT?!!!!!

Kaavan Aug 27, 2021 03:19am

@Calypso Will you support her ?

Kaavan Aug 27, 2021 03:20am

@Chrís Dăn : Thank you!

Amin Aug 27, 2021 05:47am

Why doesn't she do a movie on the rapes in New York or the rape capital of the world ? But then you don't get paid for it, how many schools or hospitals has she started for the poor women ?

Solangi Aug 27, 2021 11:15am

Looks like she got some rich friends in NY city!

Solangi Aug 27, 2021 11:16am

@Riazullah Baig Such ideas do not get good PR in western press!

@asgher A very valid question!

@nk Right on the money!

Solangi Aug 27, 2021 11:17am

@Amin Her sponsors wont support her for that cause!

AMER Aug 27, 2021 11:23am

@Fazy Every hard question, now our paid by NGOS liberals and media talking heads will go after you because how dare you question their money trail don't you know this will impact the so called democracy and freedom of expression lol

Bella Aug 28, 2021 05:56am

I hope so the program stays true to the real spirit if storytelling and doesnt turn into just another venture of promoting useless favourites and pets and following some secret hidden agenda. Pakistan has the tradition of promoting chamchas or pets in every field who are politically cunning but brainless and useless.

Nazim khan Aug 29, 2021 12:53pm

Looks like she is after winning another Oscar as she is getting "a lot of emails" from women to tell their stories. She still hasn't paid one of the victims.