KARACHI:Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) with the collaboration of Ministry of Sindh Cultural and Tourism hosted a reception for two filmmakers from Hollywood who visited the country to have firsthand experience of emerging Pakistani cinema and Karachi was their last destination.
The program was presided over by the Provincial Minister of Sindh for Education Culture Tourism and Antiquities, Syed Sardar Ali Shah who is also pro chancellor of SMIU while the session was co-chaired by the Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh.
Sindh Minister for Education and Culture and Tourism, Syed Sardar Ali Shah welcomed Alix Madigan and Maria Raquel Bozzi and accorded warm welcome to the US filmmakers.
He said that their presence was signaled very positive and encouraging message to the film fraternity here also for promoting our real, true and soft image of Pakistan.
He said Karachi now become a peaceful city with the concerted efforts of the provincial government and the state institutions. He added “only culture and its connectivity had the final say, to say goodbye to fanaticism and extremism”.
He said he was sure that with the screening of movies by independent Pakistani filmmakers and students on the themes of peace, culture and heritage could provide us opportunity that would inspire more aspirants to compete for the times to come with the film industry in the country and abroad.
He said the culture department would establish a film institute and asked all related people in the country and the US embassy to assist the provincial government.
SMIU’s Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh also welcomed the delegate and got them visited the university.
Dr Shaikh said SMIU was the oldest among the educational institutions which had been founded by the Muslim philanthropists in the region.
He said the university would start a programme to award bachelor’s degree in filmmaking while short courses on filmmaking and related subjects would start next month. He said that Karachi had emerged as the main centre for filmmaking in the country.
US Consulate General’s director public affairs, Jason Green said he was a big fan of SMIU and was privileged to have visited its magical building. He thanked the VC for inviting them at the reception.
Alix Madigan said Karachi was last stop to their week-long tour to Pakistan. She said the week they had been in Pakistan was memorable for many aspects, which included their meetings with a number of independent producers and academia.
She said it was heartening for the two foreigner filmmakers to see immense talent for filmmaking in Pakistan, adding that the talent and passion for creating art was not easily describable.
Maria Raquel Bozzi said they met many people during their tour to the country. She said the US government was keen to assist in the field of filmmaking in various countries.
She added the two filmmakers from Hollywood were excited to see how greatly people in the field in Pakistan were involved with filmmaking and that experience would always be a thing for her to cherish.
Later, provincial minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah and SMIU VC distributed shields, souvenirs and present Ajraks to the distinguished guests.