Call for Oscar submission for Pakistani filmmakers

Lahore: The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee invites Pakistani filmmakers to submit their films for Oscar consideration in the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category for the 93rd Academy Awards by 20th October 2020.

This will mark the eighth consecutive submission by the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee having previously submitted “ZindaBhaag” in 2013, “Dukhtar” in 2014, “MOOR” in 2015, “Mah-e-Mir” in 2016, “Saawan” in 2017, “Cake” in 2018 and ‘Lal Kabootar’ in 2019to represent the best of Pakistani cinema for award consideration in the ‘International Feature Film’ category.

The Oscar committee for 2020 is chaired by two-time Academy Award and Emmy winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and includes Faisal Kapadia [Musician], Asad-ul-Haq [Director], Maheen Zia [Filmmaker], Hamza Bangash [Filmmaker], Bee Gul [Scriptwriter], Syed Muhd Ahmed [Actor], Mehwish Hayat [Actor], Hasan ShehreyarYasin [Actor and Designer] and AsimAbbasi [Filmmaker].

The committee will choose one film as Pakistan’s official submission for the, International Feature Film Award’.An international film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside theUnited States of America and its territories with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialoguetrack. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.

In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside of the United States and its territories for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for paid admission. The International Feature Executive Committee will evaluate all matters of rules and eligibility.

Film festivals have been impacted by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Participation in an impacted festival’s online/virtual platform will not affect a films’ eligibility for awards consideration provided the festival has a transactional pay wall or password-protected entry. Film festival participation does not qualify a film in the International Feature Film category. Films must comply with all other eligibility requirements for the 93rd Academy Awards.

Prince Charles says Pakistani mangoes “very tasty,” thanks President Arif Alvi
Islamabad : Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales while describing the Pakistani mangoes as “very tasty” has thanked President Dr Arif Alvi for sending the gift of mangoes.
Prince Charles in a letter addressed to President Alvi said he and his wife were appreciative of the excellent gift, a statement issued by the President’s Media Office here on Tuesday said.

Prince Charles, in his letter, expressed his happiness on receiving the gift of best Pakistani mangoes.The president under the ‘mango diplomacy’ had sent Pakistani mangoes as gift to the heads of states of various countries.