Two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has marked five years of Patakha Pictures, a filmmaking initiative dedicated to empowering emerging women filmmakers in Pakistan by providing funding, mentorship and a platform to tell stories rooted in their communities.
The milestone was celebrated at a special event titled Claim the Frame on October 19, where eight women filmmakers from Punjab, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan presented their work through four documentary projects. Organised by Patakha Pictures and SOC Films in partnership with the British Council Pakistan and the Scottish Documentary Institute, the event highlighted the importance of giving women the opportunity to represent their experiences and perspectives through cinema.
The documentaries explored a diverse range of subjects, including women challenging gender barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces, the relationship between climate change and child marriage, artistic traditions in the Cholistan desert, and healthcare in remote mountainous communities.
One documentary follows Anum Shakoor, a woman who finds strength through horses before entering the predominantly male sport of tent pegging. Another examines how climate change and economic hardship intersect with child marriage in rural Sindh. A third explores the life and artistic practices of a camel barber in Cholistan, while the fourth traces the work of a midwife who spent decades providing healthcare to women in the remote Shimshal Valley. Together, the films reflect the diversity of women's experiences across Pakistan, bringing attention to stories that often remain outside mainstream cinematic narratives.
Speaking about the initiative, Obaid Chinoy emphasised that talent exists across the country, but access to opportunities remains unequal. Through funding, mentorship and creative support, Patakha Pictures seeks to bridge this gap and help aspiring filmmakers translate their ideas into compelling documentaries.
The programme provides participants with structured mentorship, production funding, practical filmmaking workshops and opportunities to develop their storytelling and technical skills. Its emphasis on filmmakers from different geographical and socioeconomic backgrounds also seeks to widen representation within Pakistan's independent film industry.
Beyond the screenings, Claim the Frame underscored the importance of allowing women to determine how their communities and experiences are represented on screen. By placing emerging filmmakers at the centre of their own narratives, the initiative challenges conventional portrayals and encourages more nuanced accounts of Pakistani society.