Dawn Images

Patakha Pictures, helmed by two-time Academy Award and four-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, has announced its second filmmaking grant programme, the Taiwan Pitch Pakistan Fellowship, in collaboration with the CNEX Foundation and Taiwan Pitch Non-fiction Short Film Fund.

Patakha Pictures provided 10 female filmmakers grants in its first round of fellowships, established in partnership with SDI and the British Council and announced earlier this year. With this second filmmaking grant, Patakha Pictures aims to fund and mentor younger filmmakers — specifically encouraging female students who are filmmakers to realise their dreams.

As part of this grant, a grantee documentary filmmaker will be selected from Pakistan and receive $10,000 in funding for film production and a fixed reimbursement for travel expenses to participate in the Talent Village workshop held in Taiwan. The student will receive mentorship and will work with the other selected finalists. The filmmaker will be expected to create a seven to 15-minute non-fiction film at the conclusion of the grant.

“With Patakha Pictures, we are investing in the next generation of female filmmakers of Pakistan," said Obaid-Chinoy. "We are especially proud of this grant as it is our first collaboration in Asia and because this $10,000 grant has the potential to change a student's life forever. To create an ecosystem where female filmmakers have equipment funding and resources to realise their dreams, it is important that the efforts of Patakha Pictures are replicated across Pakistan."

The submission guidelines for Taiwan Pitch Pakistan Fellowship are:

• All applicants must be over 18 years of age.
• All applicants enrolled currently as students (excluding open universities) with valid student identification (including those graduating in 2022) are eligible to apply.
• All applicants should apply as individuals. Those applying as companies or businesses will not be considered.
• Each applicant is allowed to submit only one film proposal.
• Finalists shall join in the entire course of a week-long Talent Village held in Taiwan in early August 2022.
• The final films must be presented entirely in English (including narration and subtitles).

Interested female student filmmakers can apply for this programme here or email at patakhapictures@gmail.com. The last date to submit the application is May 15, 11:59pm Pakistan Time.

The announcement of shortlisted applicants will be made in June and the Taiwan Pitch Pakistan Fellow Grantee will attend the workshop in August 2022.

Three films will be selected as outstanding works, and the finalists responsible for their creation will receive cash awards.