Women filmmakers capture Pakistan's untold stories

Patakha Pictures, an initiative founded by two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy through SOC Films, is celebrating five years of supporting emerging women documentary filmmakers in Pakistan. The program provides funding, mentorship, and a platform for women to tell stories from their communities. A recent event in Karachi on October 19 showcased the work of eight women filmmakers selected for the 2026 'Claim the Frame' mentorship and funding program, run in partnership with the British Council Pakistan and the Scottish Documentary Institute. To date, Patakha Pictures has funded over 75 filmmakers, whose films have played in over 100 festivals worldwide and won more than 22 awards. Obaid-Chinoy highlighted that the initiative addresses a significant gap in Pakistan's filmmaking landscape by offering crucial access and opportunities that allow talented individuals to bring diverse stories, ranging from climate change to healthcare in remote areas, to the screen.