Film festival: Three day FiLUMS to screen 90 films

More than 200 participants have registered before the official opening ceremony. The festival is expected to draw 400 to 500 visitors. DESIGN: AMNA IQBAL/FILE

LAHORE: 

Almost 90 films will be screened at the LUMS International Film Festival FiLUMS 2013 that opened here on Friday.

More than 200 participants have registered before the official opening ceremony. The festival is expected to draw 400 to 500 visitors.

FiLUMS 2013 is the seventh edition of the festival organized by the LUMS Media Arts Society. Taimur Abdullah, convener of FiLUMS 2012 told The Express Tribune that the festival aims to provide a platform for upcoming film-makers.

“The festival can be viewed as a platform where young talent can showcase their work… even get acknowledgement,” said Abdullah, who is in his final year at LUMS and is an amateur film-maker.

Sixty local and 30 international films have been shortlisted for screening. With the Kara Film Festival not being organised, says Abdullah, FiLUMS has taken centre stage.

“Pakistan needs festivals where talent gets appreciated and new avenues explored”, he said.

Screening of movies will be followed by workshops. This year, two films will premiere at the festival, Seedlings – which received the Best Picture Award at the New York Film Awards last year and a local feature titled Fatima.

Awards are offered in four categories: animation, documentaries, short film and feature length film. Most entries received have been in the feature-length and short film categories, said Abdullah, who has been associated with FiLUMS for three years.

Some of the short listed entries have come from National College of Arts, Punjab University, Beaconhouse National University and the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology.

Abdullah said a panel of core team members of the organising team shortlists the entries for screening during the festival. Following the screening, the jury gives out its verdict for the awards. The jury this year: Behroze Sabzwari, Saleem Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, Mikaal Zulfikaar, Juggan Kazim, Shehzad Rafique, Seemi Raheel, Bilal Lashari and Sania Saeed.

The shortlisted international entries are from Russia, Japan, Mexico and the United States. Osman Mazhar, media director FiLUMS said the films will be screened with subtitles.

Mazhar, who is in his sophomore year at LUMS, says besides the screening the festival also attracts participants because of its social events.

“These events get a lot of attention… participants also get a chance to interact with the celebrities”, he said. The social events include dinners, premiers and the award night. Amna Kardar, Mehreen Raheel, Meesha Shafi, Bilal Lashari, Seemi Raheel and Saba Qamar are among the celebrities attending this year’s festival.

Short film about Zia regime earns recognition in India

Assad Zulfiqar’s short film bagged an award at the International Film Festival in Jaipur. DESIGN: ANUSHAY FURQAN

LAHORE: 

Assad Zulfiqar Khan’s short film, Haal, earned the title of Best Upcoming Star Film at the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) in India earlier this week.

The London-based film-maker, who has directed and co-written the film, portrayed how former president General (retd) Muhammad Ziaul Haq’s ruling era affected the country and how the Islamisation he imposed continues to trickle down in society today.

“Haal was my graduation project at the London Film School,” says Khan, who was humbled by the success of his film. “I was greatly influenced by the political struggle against Zia in the ‘80s so I felt it was important to catalog that on screen; for me, this film was a form of catharsis.”

Haal shows the story from the standpoint of a kathak dancer — played by classical dancer Nighat Chaudhry — and a journalist; it explores how Zia’s rule affected liberal arts and media.

“I filmed it in Lahore right after the assassination of Shaheed Salmaan Taseer and that added meaning to the production as his murder was a shocking reminder of how Zia’s Pakistan is still alive and flourishing,” he adds regretfully.

He feels the reality of militancy depicted in the film, which is prevalent in Pakistan today, and the politics that have been revealed simultaneously, is what allows the audience to relate. “I think that is what resonated most with the viewers — these issues are parallel with our situation today,” says Khan, adding that militancy is a sad reality of our lives. “The catalyst for this virulent Islamism, if I may use that term, was Zia and his era. And since the film speaks about this, I feel that works for the audience.”

The 22-minute short film, which released in 2012, has been played in numerous film festivals internationally before making its way to JIFF. It was screened at The Second Floor café (T2F) in Karachi in July last year.

Indie films in Pakistan

Speaking about film-making in Pakistan, Khan emphasises that film-makers shouldn’t limit their abilities and should always try to improve. “Film-makers shouldn’t limit themselves to a Pakistani audience. It’s important to remember that the whole world is an audience,” he says. “Pakistani directors can find a way to speak to them also and shouldn’t just assume that audiences in Pakistan are the end of the market.”

In an attempt to support independent film-makers, Khan has started his own production company, Mono No Aware Productions, with film-maker Junaid Malik. “I want to remind film-makers that films that do well internationally are those that are honest,” Khan continues. “As a film-maker, you should make films which mean a lot to you — they tend to work a lot more than other film-making formulas.” He feels the success of Haal would prove to be a launching pad for indie film-makers in the future.

Working on feature films is part of Khan’s future agenda and, currently, he is working on one as an associate producer, which is being filmed in Britain. “I am also writing a couple of scripts and, hopefully, if I am done soon, I will start filming my own feature film by the end of the year,” he says.

Singer Quratulain Balouch to undergo surgery after car accident

QB was on her way to catch a flight to Dubai when her car collided with another. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

LAHORE: Singer Quratulain Balouch, famous for her single “Woh Humsafar,” was hospitalised after it was discovered that the car accident she had been involved in recently had left her worse off than initially thought.

Known as QB for short, her manager DJ Mac explained to The Express Tribune that on February 2, the singer was going to the airport to catch a flight to Dubai, when a car hit her vehicle. The collision flipped her car. The singer was immediately rushed to Combined Military Hospital in Lahore.

Doctors at the hospital gave her a clean bill of health after an initial inspection and released her. DJ Mac explained that after the singer was released, she started feeling increased pain in her spinal area.

The artist was then taken to the National Hospital. QB is now due to undergo a surgery.

“She will be fine and following the surgery she will be able to recover and continue with her musical engagements,” said Mac.

Mac added that her immediate engagements including tours and concerts have been suspended owing to her scheduled surgery. Mac hoped that the singer will have recovered for her tour of UK, tentatively scheduled for March and April.

Living on the Edge (S4) (7th Feb) (Episode 2)

Watch Living on the Edge, Season 4 – Episode 2

Chashme Baddoor - Official Trailer | Ali Zafar

07 February 2013 :::: Showbiz news from Today's NewsPaper

Showbiz news from

Today's NewsPaper

07 February 2013

 

The Producer of Chambaili (Interview)

Chambaili is a Pakistani feature film by Coup Films and Seventh Sky Films.

Releasing Date:  March 23rd, 2013

Story/Plot:   An unforgettable saga of courage, romance and sacrifice of a group of friends who are led by circumstances and incidences to find themselves at the crossroads of fate.

  

Genre:  Fiction

Star Cast:  Salmaan Peerzada, Khalid Ahmed, Maira Khan, Shafqat Cheema, Omair Rana, Sadia Hayat, Saiqa Khayyam, Ali Tahir, Ethisham, Khalid Qureshi, Fatima, Ali Fateh, Humayun Bin Rathor and Shahzad Nawaz- Special guest appearance by Ghulam Mohiuddin

Produced By:  Abdullah Kadwani & Shahzad Nawaz

Written By:  Shahzad Nawaz

Screenplay By:  Shahzad Nawaz

Directed By:  Ismail Jilani

The Producer of Chambaili (Interview)

05 February 2013 :::: Showbiz news from Today's NewsPaper

Showbiz news from

Today's NewsPaper

05 February 2013

Without the people of Pakistan, Lollywood will not succeed: Syed Noor

Syed Noor recently said in an interview that directors/producers are like doctors, and until or unless we don’t check the public for their feel for the filmi world, till then the film industry cannot be successful. Which means that Syed Noor was hinting on knowing what the public demands from the film industry and what type of films they would like to see! He also added that a lot of people try to do something for the survival of the film industry but now they have to practically do more! Noor appealed to the public that whenever a new movie is released in Pakistan they have to go to the cinemas to support it! In the end Syed Noor said, that we as Pakistanis are not terrorists and hence we have to increase the world of arts and entertainment!

Actress Humaima Malick Replaces Mehreen Syed in Abbas Hasan’s Music Video

Rishi Rich’s French star ABBAS HASAN is about to hit the sets of his music video for his widely awaited new single, and it’s caused a press-storm before even being released! Times of India reported in December that Abbas had selected supermodel Mehreen Syed as his leading lady, but new reports from Abbas Hasan’s management have confirmed that Humaima Malick will be starring opposite the heartthrob singer in his new music video!
Humaima Malick, best known as the face of major brands and for her critically acclaimed performance in the film “Bol”, will now be setting the screen on fire opposite Rishi Rich’s artist and protégé Abbas Hasan. Humaima who has beguiled us with her refreshing personality and serious acting chops continues to juggle modelling and acting effectively. Having starred in many hit dramas on top TV channels in Pakistan, she is now ready to take to take Bollywood by storm.

Abbas says:  “I’m really looking forward to work with Humaima, I think she’s incredibly beautiful and talented. I think it will be really cool for our fans and the world to see her in a different context and I’m sure she’ll be perfect for the role.”
The song is reportedly produced by Rishi Rich himself and his production protégé Naamless is also said to have worked on the track. The video is already in pre-production stages and is planned for February, so we can look forward to seeing Abbas and Humaima sharing the screen early in the new year!

This has been an exciting year for Humaima Malik with two Bollywood films already set for release. Not only will she be starring opposity Sunjay Dutt in Sher, she has also been signed on in a lead role in Vidhu Cinod Chopra’s next film, Chitthiyan. She has become a regular staple not only at awards shows, but also top media events all vying for her endorsement.

Fariha Pervaiz is learning Classical!

Rumors have it that Fariha Pervaiz has started training with Ustad Aslam for learning classical singing. Pervaiz is also seen with Faheem Mazhar on the PTV program pertaining to singing which is directed by Mohsin Jaffar. Talking to sources, Fariha Pervaiz said that she will make her place in the world of classical singing once she has finished her training. Well we wish Miss Pervaiz the best of luck as we at Lollywood Café want to see her excel and succeed in all her endeavors.

Ahsan Khan To Host " Madventures"

Being the face of Pakistani showbiz industry, Ahsan Khan has a lot of works to do, from acting in lollywood to Fashion modeling. One thing which Ahsan hasn’t even touched so far is hosting a reality show. But now Ahsan is going to fulfil the long awaited wish of his fans by Hosting Fear Factor Pakistan.

 The news about Ahsan is like he will host " Madventures"  The Pakistani stars which will be the participant of this thriller reality show includes, Mehwish Hayat , Film Actress Sana , Zeba Ali, Sana Askari, Madiha and Ayesha. According to sources Indian contestants included actress Leena Jumani, Priyal Gor, Shafaq Naaz, Melaine Pais, Hritu Dudani and Priyamvada Kant. Another news is emerged that Ahsan is right now in Thailand for the shooting of his show.

He first began acting in 1998. He appeared in the films Nikah and Ghar Kab Aao Gay, which both were Platinum Jubilees, and later moved on to television. He has still restricted himself to Tv,and since his appearance on Tv, he has acted in many different drama serials and soaps. He has hosted a quiz show Hayya Allal Falah on Hum TV in 2011 also, during Ramadan. But hosting a proper Thriller reality show is different and it must be a challenging task for a person like Ahsan. The veteran artist is pretty confident about his talent, so we are.

Let us see what is stored in the box. The show will be aired on Ary Digital but the airing dated is still not announced.

When it comes to entertainment, the biggest medium is film: Rambo

Actor-comedian believes TV actors and directors are now investing their time in films. DESIGN: KIRAN SHAHID

LAHORE: 

Afzal Khan, more popularly known as Jan Rambo, has spent a lifetime entertaining the Pakistani audience; it was almost two decades ago when Khan played the character of Rambo in PTV drama Guest House — this role earned him a title he is proudly living with till date. The actor is currently co-hosting the Express Entertainment morning show, Rambo, Sahiba aur Aap which he feels is based on the idea of pure entertainment. Despite his love for dramas and TV shows, Rambo feels strongly about Lollywood.

“Not many films are being made right now, but if you say this is a permanent thing, then I am not ready to accept it,” says Rambo. “Maybe not today or tomorrow, but films will be made again because when it comes to entertainment, the biggest medium is ultimately film.” However, at the same time, he is content that new developments are taking place in film-making; TV actors and directors are entering the film scene.

“Being a hero in a film is like becoming the president of some institution. I will do films no matter what happens,” he exclaims, adding that doing films is a part of his future agenda. “Some friends of mine in television have started making films which is a good thing but they will have to integrate people who are actually associated with this industry.” He feels this is integral because until this is done, “the project will have the risk of looking more like a long play as compared to a commercial film.”

Rambo has also been connected with Punjabi theatre apart from doing the occasional film; Shahid Rana’s Dunya is one of his latest films.

Television drama

Times have changed since Rambo first stepped foot in the industry and although his acting skills and leading man looks have remained intact, he feels the industry has changed drastically. “Earlier, there was only one channel so there were more opportunities [to learn]; now, there are a lot more channels so actors have become busier than ever,” he says, adding they have less time to prepare for their roles. “Before, we would spend the entire week thinking about how we would perform our specific role.” He feels it’s more about quantity now and less about quality.

Rambo believes the TV industry has retained its focus on romance and drama themes in the past few years and this has left little space for action or comedy; he feels films of all types should be made. “If you look at India or Pakistan, they both produced an array of films in the ‘70s but now, in India, only one type is being made — action-comedy,” says Rambo, explaining this is due to the medium becoming a pure commercial one.

He admits he wanted to produce films but took a back seat because of the circumstances in the film industry. “I’ve wanted to make a comedy film for a while now, but these days it’s all about action,” he continues. “I had considered the commercial value of doing so as well but then the industry’s situation was not that healthy either.” However despite these hindrances, Rambo says if he ever makes a film, it will purely be comedy.

As far as acting is concerned, Rambo says he feels it’s time to branch out; he has succeeded as a comedian and now wants to experiment with different characters also. “I have done comedy for years and have earned respect for it also. So now I want to try out different roles, maybe even a negative one,” he says. “The issue is whenever an actor does a certain character really well, directors and producers seem to permanently fit him into that specific role and don’t let him become a versatile actor.”