'Troubled' Pakistan becoming fantasy land for documentarians

Karachi, July 10(ANI): With Pakistan finding its way on the list of failed states, filmmakers are trying to capture its ground reality in the form of documentaries.

There has been a notable increase in young Pakistanis as well as international documentarians who are making films on how lives of ordinary people have been changed by the current political situation.

However, this does not require a lavish investment, and many filmmakers have managed to make excellent documentaries while facing severe budget constraints.

One such example is 'Without Shepherds', which was shot in the wake of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination as violent attacks resonated throughout Pakistan and pressure escalated from the West.

The movie very simply takes the audience through the reality of six people's lives, from the streets of Karachi to the border of Afghanistan and highlights the misunderstood side of Pakistan.

"Pakistan as a subject has certainly been an asset rather than an obstacle. We've found a wide base of support amongst Americans keen to see a change in our approach to foreign policy questions, strong backing from Pakistani expats eager to build a bridge between their homeland and the rest of the world, as well as significant interest from distributors who see more and more potential for the film as Pakistan has become more prominent in the headlines," The Express Tribune quoted director Cary McClelland, as saying.

Another documentary, Escape, part of a film workshop conducted by the British High Commission in 2009, portrayed Pakistan simply through visual images in order to deconstruct the myth that 'Pakistan is a dangerous place to live'.

Director Jibran Khan said the short documentary was mainly targeted for a foreign audience.

"Pakistani filmmakers are now realising the world wants to know more about this land (and its problems). And in order to educate the foreign audience in terms of its culture and politics, many film-makers make documentaries - since they are much cheaper and cost effective," he added. (ANI)