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lollywood diary
Sending out an SOS
Instep reports on the latest conference to talk about reviving the film industry. It was attended by all the right people who made all the valid points. The question remains: What next?

By Aijaz Gul

 
The lack of cinema is being felt in the country at last. Indeed, the vibrancy of the small screen has raised many important questions in the minds of those who would like to see a similar dynamism on the big screen. Actor Jamal Shah, Chairman Hunerkada, College of Visual & Performing Arts arranged a two-day film conference in Islamabad under auspices of the Ministry of Culture on February 6-7.

All the leading lights of the film industry were present. Ranging from actors and directors to producers, writers, distributors and exhibitors, all the film disciplines were well represented. Satish Anand, Mustafa Qureshi, Syed Noor, Shaan, Ajab Gul, Usman Peerzada, Asif Khan, Reema, Sangeeta, Nasir Adeeb, Saeed Rizvi, Safdar Khan, Zoraiz Lashari and Jamshed Zafar, were all there. And then there were renowned media celebrities: Javed Jabbar, Agha Nasir, Hameed Akhtar and Hasan Zaidi. It was a good spread and all of them participated in the proceedings in an upbeat mood.
 
 
After formal opening by the Minister of Culture Dr. Jamal and Secretary Culture, Saleem Gul Sheikh, papers were read on film history, film journalism, piracy, the future of cinemas in Pakistan, alternative cinema, location shoot facilities in Pakistan for foreign film teams, and future horizons.

Mustafa Qureshi who started his acting career over forty years back in the mid '60s, and was his best in Lakhon Meik Eik and later in the '70s in Maula Jatt, remarked that it was heartbreaking to see the pathetic conditions of the film trade. The daily wage earners (light men and qulis) were at the worst end of the scale, many of them out of work or partly employed. Many of the major directors today did not even have elementary education. Mustafa Qureshi also complained regarding NAFDEC's liquidation.

"It takes years to build an organization and just minutes to liquidate it." He suggested more serious efforts for parallel cinema, tax rebates, and relaxation of censor rules. Hasan Zaidi, the force behind Karafilm Festival, made an interesting observation that parallel cinema should not be distinguished separately from the commercial cinema. After all, it was commercial cinema, which tackled courageous social themes in films like Neend (sexual abuse of downtrodden labor by the rich) and Mehndi Waley Hath (marriage with the Quran) or even Maula Jatt. He also suggested that serious efforts should be made to market documentary and short films. Besides TV, one option was to screen these films in cinemas before the feature films He also proposed credit line, endowment fund, multiplexes, the need for facilities of joint productions, incentives for film training, Film City and revamping of censor code and rules.
Actor-producer-director Usman Peerzada suggested that a proper cell should be created at the Ministry of Culture to facilitate foreign film units with visa, work permits and permissions to shoot at locations. Not only would the foreign teams use our heavy equipment, which can be made on demand but it would also serve as training ground for our technicians.

Producer-director-scriptwriter Syed Noor complained against the blatant and wild piracy. He was daring to admit that until piracy is brought to an end, nothing would improve in the film trade. He also complimented the local films (read Majajan) whose work could withstand Mughal-e-Azam and Taj Mahal for weeks. He suggested a pool of producer-distributor-exhibitor with 25 lac rupees each to make twelve films every year.
Actor-director Shaan invited back the talent who had left the film industry. He said the government could facilitate filmmakers but it would not hand out cash. Instead, he advocated that tax and import duty on raw film be waived. This would improve the quality of films as producers and directors were saving on raw film, thereby damaging the quality of the product (with picture negatives selling at an astronomical price, the director says "Action" and soon after, the producer yells out "Cut"). Shaan pleaded that film should be taken up and supported as a cause.

Actor-director-producer Ajab Gul applauded the concept of a Lahore cinema owner who had allowed a petrol pump in his cinema premises for additional income without demolishing the cinema. He said that banks and financial institutions should fund films. If the purchase of homes and cars can be funded by banks, why not films? It was a good point perhaps made too idealistically in a country where the cinema circuit had shrunk to next to nothing. He said it had become fashionable for highbrows to sit in their drawing rooms, criticize Pakistani films and ridicule our actors.

Producer-distributor Jamshed Zafar called for our diplomatic missions to promote our films through film festivals abroad. He also suggested that government should offer land on lease for new cinemas. Producer Saeed Rizvi said that joint ventures with India must be legalized. It would bring prosperity to Pakistani producers and give exposure to our artists and technicians. He suggested a film finance foundation with long term low-interest loans to help the sick film trade.

Javed Jabbar complimented Jamal Shah and Ministry of Culture for timely initiative to hold the film conference. He looked at a few vacant seats of the Islamabad Club auditorium and said may be representatives from Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and PEMRA should have been on those seats. Their absence was being missed. He said that it was lack of cohesion as film is with culture, radio and TV with Information and PEMRA with the Cabinet Division. He described film as the most collaborative art form. It's a fascinating medium where we sit and enjoy the magic on the screen and forget our individuality. Javed Jabbar said that we cannot revive the past film industry but we can be inspired by it. Pakistan offers some of the best geo-cinematic locations and it is a collective responsibility to look into the ailing film industry. He pointed out that the negative and terrorism-ridden image of Pakistan can be improved by good films. He said Pakistan had talent as Fazli's Dupatta way back in the early '50s was a smash hit in India. He said one of the worst decisions after September 1965 was to ban Indian films. Protection had destroyed film talent as it led to them becoming isolated. Cable channels are not allowed to show close to a dozen Indian news channels but there is no restriction on showing pirated and smuggled films on the same channels. Javed Jabbar said that cable further eroded Pakistani cinema.
Agha Nasir said that we must face the changes that had come in the recent years. There is now new leisure available to the masses and new questions arising out of this must have new answers. And while new marketing methods and techniques would have to be grasped by the film trade, film industry and TV must go hand in hand.

Prominent exhibitor Zoraiz Lashari pleaded removal of ban on Indian films which would lead of more films, more cinemas and more prosperity in all fields of film industry.
On the second day of the conference, a pledge and recommendations were finalized and signed by every delegate.
--Photos by
Hanif Khattak
 
Pledge:
We, the filmmaking fraternity affirm and pledge that we shall endeavour for the development and promotion of Pakistan film industry. We shall take all steps that would improve the quality of films, standards of production and maintenance of cinemas and studios. The fraternity also voluntarily commits to take all measures to create a progressive, liberal and well-groomed image of film industry in general and the country in particular.

Recommendations:
•Establishment of a national film academy, holding national film festival and bestowing national film award every year.

•A film finance foundation to be set up offering easy loans to producers. Script competitions be held and the worthiest script be given a green light.

•Cinema entertainment tax to be abolished nationwide (it is still in practice in NWFP and Balochistan).

•Federal and provincial governments to offer land on lease for cinemas and studios.
•Intellectual Property Rights to be strictly implemented.