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Aug 21, 2009

Pakistani Film-makers for Social Change

by Abi Weaver

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From Asha Panjawani in Karachi:

“In less than three months more than six cases have been reported in Pakistan of parents offering either their children or their organs, such as kidneys, for sale as a last resort to raise money for living. This rather disturbing trend has been observed especially in Karachi, owing to increasing poverty and lack of economic opportunities due to a deteriorating economy. It is not just rising prices but also limited employment opportunities that are pushing people towards desperation.

“Inflation in Pakistan is currently running at over 11%, with food prices having risen by 17% compared to last year, and this means that many families struggle to get food. Between January and May 2008 there were 1,049 suicides, 322 of which were women. Most cases of suicide or attempted suicide go unreported.”

Asha is a film student from Karachi and member of the LIDF’s new initiative ‘Pakistani Film-makers for Social Change’, supported by the British High Commission Pakistan as a part of the Channels for Change programme.

Patrick Hazard, Director of the LIDF, has been nominated Project Manager for this initiative by the British High Commission and is currently in Pakistan working with 12 Karachi-based student film-makers, including Asha, on 4 documentary films. These films will be screened on 1st April as part of the LIDF’s Film-making for Social Change: Prevent and Resolve Conflict.

As a part of the festival’s desire to encourage people to talk to us and to each other about films and documentaries – our commitment to more ‘conversations in film’ – we asked Patrick to document his experience of staying in Karachi. To read his unique diary and find out more about the current situation in Pakistan, click here.

Like many Pakistani film students, Asha believes that “the primary difference between fiction films and documentary film-making is that documentaries should show and tell the truth”. At the LIDF, we wholeheartedly agree. But what’s your opinion? Log in and use the text box below to tell us what you think about documentary film-making as a tool for social change.

To join our Facebook group, Pakistani Film-makers for Social Change, click here.

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