NASFF spectacular opportunity for aspiring filmmakers: Kodwani

APP

ISLAMABAD: National Amateur Short Film Festival 2021 has provided a spectacular opportunity to the young talent of Pakistan aspiring to become filmmakers by providing a chance to study filmmaking in New York Film Academy Australia, said the qualifier of the Festival Vishal Kodwani on Monday.

The 28-year-old Kodwani, a resident of Karachi and a graduate of Iqra University, stood fourth in the contest.

Kodwani’s six-minute short film “The Road Army” qualified for the National Amateur Short Film Festival (NASFF 2021) contest, which received more than 1,100 entries from 72 different educational institutions across Pakistan.

The Grand Finale of the event was held on June 26, 2021, in which the top 15 high achievers of NASFF-21, including Vishal, were awarded a 1-year Film-making Diploma at New York Film Academy (NYFA), Australia.

The story of “The Road Army” revolves around the struggle of 15 truck drivers, who strove hard during the lockdown of Covid-19. The film particularly focused on the biographies of three truck drivers that highlighted their struggles to earn bread and butter for their families when almost everything was blocked.

The direction was done by Faizan Shoro, whereas Vishal Kodwani was the producer and director of the camera and the voice-over was done by Syed Akbar Ali.  Vishal told APP that he was very happy when he came to know that his film had qualified for the contest and helped him secure a foreign scholarship. The NYFA diploma, he added, would help to explore new technology and ideas of filmmaking, as the Academy is one of the best places to learn filming. “I want to pay special gratitude to Ministry of Information and ISPR who conducted this competition and gave us this scintillating opportunity. Thank you Pakistan,” he expressed.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) had sought online registration for the National Amateur Short Film Festival (NASFF) themed the colours of Pakistan, the Indus identity, Pakistan a cultural melting pot, empowerment through SMEs, Philanthropy in Pakistan and Value addition in Agri-products of Pakistan. NASFF was created to tap the talent and creativity of Pakistani youth, who choose Film and TV production and mass media communication as their professional careers.

The festival was meant to proffer a chance to such talented youth to produce high quality short films projecting the real image of Pakistan.