Inter-Services Public Relations, ISPR, has announced a short film festival on 16th November 2020, to promote the positive image of Pakistan globally. The film festival is named, National Amateur Short Film Festival that is inviting nascent filmmakers from across Pakistan to submit their unique, engaging, and interesting videos for the competition.
ISPR has released two promotional videos for the competition on its official YouTube channel. The videos feature notable Pakistani celebrities including Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan, Farhan Saeed, and Bilal Abbas.
ISPR has nominated esteemed artists: Mahira Khan, Hamayun Saeed, Farhan Saeed, Iqra Aziz, Zara Noor Abbas, Wahaj Ali, Bilal Abbas Khan, Mashal Khan, Qasim Khan (Alpha Bravo Charlie), and Ayub Khoso, as its brand ambassadors for the project who will communicate the message of the festival all over Pakistan, read a statement on ISPR channel.
Let's show the real side of Pak to the world. A Country of
Hope & Opportunities. Participate in
National Amateur ShortFilm Festival #NASFF by @OfficialDGISPR Providing a grt opportunity to young film-makers frm across the country@iamhumayunsaeed@TheMahiraKhan @farhan_saeed pic.twitter.com/PAdrNPsRre— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) November 19, 2020
“The chosen brand ambassadors for NASFF have done a prodigious amount of work for the betterment of cinema and television in Pakistan and have come out on top in their respective fields,” read the ISPR statement.
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“National Amateur Short Film Festival (NASFF) is intended to proffer a chance to our enormously creative and talented youth to produce high-quality short films, showcasing Pakistan to the World. It’s an articulately conducted competition. The festival will not only help in capacity building of emerging Pakistani filmmakers to produce digital short films but will also strategically pursue value addition in film-making,” said ISPR.
Another promo features veteran actor Shaan Shahid. Shahid is seen encouraging emerging filmmakers to showcase their vibrant talent in the festival.
“Renowned Film Artist, Shaan Shahid, joins NASFF with his immense experience and devotion towards the Pakistan film industry; inspiring and motivating the youth to earnestly participate in the event,” wrote ISPR.
ISPR intends to align the perception of Pakistan with reality. A message in the promotional video noted that while Pakistan is enthrallingly beautiful and a melting pot of distinct cultures and ancient civilizations, it is perhaps, not portrayed fairly in the global community. Hence, the festival intends to address this erroneous image and perception of Pakistan.
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In the past few years, the government of Pakistan has growingly expressed interest in bolstering the soft image of Pakistan globally, the authentic image, overshadowed by the menace of terrorism and violence. With Pakistan being the biggest cost-bearer of terrorism, it failed to deliver its message appropriately to the world.
Efforts have been racked up in previous years to redo the image building of Pakistan with a comprehensive plan, promoting Pakistan as a major tourist destination under the project ‘Brand Pakistan’ initiated by the current government.