Pakistan-Iran relations may be strengthened thru film industry cooperation

Post-revolutionary Iranian cinema has been celebrated in many international forums and festivals for its distinct style, themes, authors, idea of nationhood, and cultural references and Pakistan-Iran ties can be strengthen further by film industry cooperation as well.

Iran and Pakistan enjoy close, cordial and fraternal relations in many areas, however, their cooperation in film industry is almost negligible which can play a very important role in bringing people of the two countries closer to each other.
Iranian cinema has been one of the main enthralling and appealing cinema industry in the world and has gained special status among the world’s cinema industry with its unique and innovative film directing techniques. Pakistan being a friendly neighbor of Iran can easily take benefit from the booming Iranian film industry.
Iran and Pakistan should also focus on their cooperation in film making which is a hidden aspect of the strong bilateral ties of the two states.
People of Pakistan are very fond of Iranian movies and Iranian movies are regularly shown in different cities of the country, however there is a need to do much more to promote Iranian films in Pakistan.
The Iranian films being very close to the culture of Pakistan are warmly received by the Pakistani public.
The continuous presence of Iranian films in prestigious international festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, and the Berlin Film Festival attracted world attention to Iranian masterpieces.
Director General, External Publicity Wing in Pakistan’s Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Zahoor Ahmad Barlas has said his country is keen to enhance cultural cooperation with Iran, especially in the fields of arts and film making.
He expressed the hope that Pakistan Television network, the state news channel of Pakistan, will take effective measures to enhance cooperation with Iran in film making and cinema industry.
“I have seen the Iranian documentaries and I am fully aware of the high quality work of Iranian filmmakers,” he said. He was of the view that Pakistani filmmaker must cooperate with Iranian film industry to produce quality work.
Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) Film Club Coordinator Aijaz Gul said that Iranian cinema has been one of the main cinema industries in the world.
He said that Iranian films are regularly shown in different Pakistani cities in which people show keen interest.
He said that today in 2017 there is not a single international film festival where Iranian films are not shown. “These films are not only shown but they win top awards, films like ‘Separation’ and ‘Salesman’ are real examples of this,” he said.
“Iranian cinema is superb, it has everything, beautiful photography, good scripts, good direction,” Gul said. He said that as a film student he wants to learn as much he can about the Iranian cinema.
Some years back Iran and Pakistan have agreed to make a film on the life of great philosopher and national poet of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal but this could not be materialized.
In April 2011 the then Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri and Pakistan’s Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan had agreed on making the film but no step has been taken in this regards so far.
Pakistan Council of the Arts Director General Jamal Shah has said that: Film makers from Iran have taken filmmaking at a stage where it has become a reality.
“Cinema in Iran today is world’s best cinema. This has been proven by Iranian film makers’ wining international prizes. I salute filmmakers from Iran for giving us true cinema,” he said.
He said that: ‘Iran and Pakistan are very close to each other, they share the same culture, history, religion and also the same language. So we must complement each other in all sectors including film making.’
Rashida Sial from Abb Tak TV channel said that people in Pakistan are not familiar with the Iranian films and they don’t know anything about rich culture of Iran. She said that people to people contact should be promoted between the two countries.
She said that Iranian film screening in Pakistan can bring people of Pakistan closer to the people of Iran and the Iranians society.
Iran and Pakistan are taking many steps to enhance their ties in all areas and one would hope that both countries would also cooperate in film making which is so far not given due importance in the bilateral ties.