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lollywood diary
Sending out an SOS
Instep reports on the latest conference to talk about reviving
the film industry. It was attended by all the right people who
made all the valid points. The question remains: What next?
By Aijaz Gul
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The
lack of cinema is being felt in the country at last. Indeed, the vibrancy
of the small screen has raised many important questions in the minds
of those who would like to see a similar dynamism on the big screen.
Actor Jamal Shah, Chairman Hunerkada, College of Visual & Performing
Arts arranged a two-day film conference in Islamabad under auspices
of the Ministry of Culture on February 6-7.
All the leading lights of the film industry were present. Ranging
from actors and directors to producers, writers, distributors and
exhibitors, all the film disciplines were well represented. Satish
Anand, Mustafa Qureshi, Syed Noor, Shaan, Ajab Gul, Usman Peerzada,
Asif Khan, Reema, Sangeeta, Nasir Adeeb, Saeed Rizvi, Safdar Khan,
Zoraiz Lashari and Jamshed Zafar, were all there. And then there were
renowned media celebrities: Javed Jabbar, Agha Nasir, Hameed Akhtar
and Hasan Zaidi. It was a good spread and all of them participated
in the proceedings in an upbeat mood. |
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After formal
opening by the Minister of Culture Dr. Jamal and Secretary Culture,
Saleem Gul Sheikh, papers were read on film history, film journalism,
piracy, the future of cinemas in Pakistan, alternative cinema, location
shoot facilities in Pakistan for foreign film teams, and future horizons.
Mustafa Qureshi who started his acting career over forty years back
in the mid '60s, and was his best in Lakhon Meik Eik and later in
the '70s in Maula Jatt, remarked that it was heartbreaking to see
the pathetic conditions of the film trade. The daily wage earners
(light men and qulis) were at the worst end of the scale, many of
them out of work or partly employed. Many of the major directors today
did not even have elementary education. Mustafa Qureshi also complained
regarding NAFDEC's liquidation.
"It takes years to build an organization and just minutes to
liquidate it." He suggested more serious efforts for parallel
cinema, tax rebates, and relaxation of censor rules. Hasan Zaidi,
the force behind Karafilm Festival, made an interesting observation
that parallel cinema should not be distinguished separately from the
commercial cinema. After all, it was commercial cinema, which tackled
courageous social themes in films like Neend (sexual abuse of downtrodden
labor by the rich) and Mehndi Waley Hath (marriage with the Quran)
or even Maula Jatt. He also suggested that serious efforts should
be made to market documentary and short films. Besides TV, one option
was to screen these films in cinemas before the feature films He also
proposed credit line, endowment fund, multiplexes, the need for facilities
of joint productions, incentives for film training, Film City and
revamping of censor code and rules.
Actor-producer-director Usman Peerzada suggested that a proper cell
should be created at the Ministry of Culture to facilitate foreign
film units with visa, work permits and permissions to shoot at locations.
Not only would the foreign teams use our heavy equipment, which can
be made on demand but it would also serve as training ground for our
technicians.
Producer-director-scriptwriter Syed Noor complained against the blatant
and wild piracy. He was daring to admit that until piracy is brought
to an end, nothing would improve in the film trade. He also complimented
the local films (read Majajan) whose work could withstand Mughal-e-Azam
and Taj Mahal for weeks. He suggested a pool of producer-distributor-exhibitor
with 25 lac rupees each to make twelve films every year.
Actor-director Shaan invited back the talent who had left the film
industry. He said the government could facilitate filmmakers but it
would not hand out cash. Instead, he advocated that tax and import
duty on raw film be waived. This would improve the quality of films
as producers and directors were saving on raw film, thereby damaging
the quality of the product (with picture negatives selling at an astronomical
price, the director says "Action" and soon after, the producer
yells out "Cut"). Shaan pleaded that film should be taken
up and supported as a cause.
Actor-director-producer Ajab Gul applauded the concept of a Lahore
cinema owner who had allowed a petrol pump in his cinema premises
for additional income without demolishing the cinema. He said that
banks and financial institutions should fund films. If the purchase
of homes and cars can be funded by banks, why not films? It was a
good point perhaps made too idealistically in a country where the
cinema circuit had shrunk to next to nothing. He said it had become
fashionable for highbrows to sit in their drawing rooms, criticize
Pakistani films and ridicule our actors.
Producer-distributor Jamshed Zafar called for our diplomatic missions
to promote our films through film festivals abroad. He also suggested
that government should offer land on lease for new cinemas. Producer
Saeed Rizvi said that joint ventures with India must be legalized.
It would bring prosperity to Pakistani producers and give exposure
to our artists and technicians. He suggested a film finance foundation
with long term low-interest loans to help the sick film trade.
Javed Jabbar complimented Jamal Shah and Ministry of Culture for timely
initiative to hold the film conference. He looked at a few vacant
seats of the Islamabad Club auditorium and said may be representatives
from Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and PEMRA should have
been on those seats. Their absence was being missed. He said that
it was lack of cohesion as film is with culture, radio and TV with
Information and PEMRA with the Cabinet Division. He described film
as the most collaborative art form. It's a fascinating medium where
we sit and enjoy the magic on the screen and forget our individuality.
Javed Jabbar said that we cannot revive the past film industry but
we can be inspired by it. Pakistan offers some of the best geo-cinematic
locations and it is a collective responsibility to look into the ailing
film industry. He pointed out that the negative and terrorism-ridden
image of Pakistan can be improved by good films. He said Pakistan
had talent as Fazli's Dupatta way back in the early '50s was a smash
hit in India. He said one of the worst decisions after September 1965
was to ban Indian films. Protection had destroyed film talent as it
led to them becoming isolated. Cable channels are not allowed to show
close to a dozen Indian news channels but there is no restriction
on showing pirated and smuggled films on the same channels. Javed
Jabbar said that cable further eroded Pakistani cinema.
Agha Nasir said that we must face the changes that had come in the
recent years. There is now new leisure available to the masses and
new questions arising out of this must have new answers. And while
new marketing methods and techniques would have to be grasped by the
film trade, film industry and TV must go hand in hand.
Prominent exhibitor Zoraiz Lashari pleaded removal of ban on Indian
films which would lead of more films, more cinemas and more prosperity
in all fields of film industry.
On the second day of the conference, a pledge and recommendations
were finalized and signed by every delegate.
--Photos by
Hanif Khattak |
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Pledge:
We, the filmmaking fraternity affirm and pledge that we shall
endeavour for the development and promotion of Pakistan film
industry. We shall take all steps that would improve the quality
of films, standards of production and maintenance of cinemas
and studios. The fraternity also voluntarily commits to take
all measures to create a progressive, liberal and well-groomed
image of film industry in general and the country in particular.
Recommendations:
•Establishment of a national film academy, holding national
film festival and bestowing national film award every year.
•A film finance foundation to be set up offering easy
loans to producers. Script competitions be held and the worthiest
script be given a green light.
•Cinema entertainment tax to be abolished nationwide
(it is still in practice in NWFP and Balochistan).
•Federal and provincial governments to offer land on
lease for cinemas and studios.
•Intellectual Property Rights to be strictly implemented.
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