KARACHI, October 19, 2026: Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has celebrated five years of Patakha Pictures, an initiative of SOC Films that supports emerging documentary filmmakers across Pakistan.

The Karachi event also introduced eight women filmmakers selected for the 2026 edition of Claim the Frame, the organisation’s mentorship and funding programme. The fellows come from Punjab, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan and will develop four documentary projects exploring social challenges, cultural traditions and women’s experiences.

Since its launch in 2022, Patakha Pictures has supported 76 emerging filmmakers. Their work has collectively received more than 22 awards and screened at over 100 film festivals worldwide, according to the organisation.

The programme is presented in partnership with the British Council and the Scottish Documentary Institute.

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Speaking at the celebration, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, founder of Patakha Pictures, said, “Five years of Patakha Pictures have reaffirmed a fundamental belief: talent is universal, but opportunity is not. Together with the British Council Pakistan and the Scottish Documentary Institute, we have seen how access to funding, mentorship, and creative freedom can transform the journeys of women filmmakers. From our award-winning alumni to our new ‘Claim the Frame’ fellows, their achievements demonstrate why investing in emerging voices matters. Our ambition now is to establish Patakha Pictures as a permanent space where the next generation of storytellers can learn and collaborate.”

The anniversary marked the initiative’s growth from a filmmaking mentorship programme into a wider community of storytellers. Through successive programme cycles, participants have received funding, international mentorship and practical production support to develop stories rooted in their communities.

Meet the 2026 Claim the Frame Fellows

The 2026 programme brings together eight filmmakers in four pairs. Each team will explore a distinct story through documentary filmmaking.

1. Ishma Areeb and Javaria Waseem — Lahore, Punjab

Their documentary follows Anum Shakoor, who found strength and healing through horses before entering the male-dominated sport of tent pegging.

2. Aleezeh Fatima and Aisha Manzoor — Karachi, Sindh

Set in rural Sindh, their film examines the links between climate change, poverty and child marriage.

3. Kinza Waqar Un Nisa Zainab and Jazaba Raheel — Bahawalpur and Lahore, Punjab

Their documentary explores life in the Cholistan Desert through Bakht Ali, focusing on his life, artistic practice and relationship with the landscape.

4. Shagufta Rasool and Munira Shah — Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Their film, Woman Who Carried Life Across Mountains, traces the work of Lal Pari, a retired healthcare worker and midwife who spent decades reaching women in the remote Shimshal Valley. It also follows Nabila, a younger nurse continuing that work today.

British Council Highlights Women’s Stories

Laila Jamil, Arts Director at the British Council Pakistan, highlighted the importance of giving women filmmakers the resources and opportunities to tell their own stories.

She said, “For me, the value of a project like Claim the Frame lies not just in the films it brings to life, but in whose stories get to be told, and who gets to tell them. Pakistan has no shortage of talent or stories worth sharing; what matters is creating the space, support and opportunities for more voices to be heard. By bringing together Patakha Pictures, the Scottish Documentary Institute and the British Council, we are helping women filmmakers shape the narratives that reflect the diversity of our experiences and the world we live in. This is how we build a more inclusive creative sector, while creating meaningful connections between Pakistan and the UK through the power of film.”

Mentorship and Production Support

Over the five-month programme, the fellows received production funding and weekly online mentorship. They also took part in an intensive in-person Edit Week in Karachi.

In addition, specialised workshops covered storytelling, camera techniques, editing and other practical aspects of documentary production.

International mentor Noe Mendelle, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker and founder of the Scottish Documentary Institute, returned for the fifth time. The mentoring team also included filmmaker and cinematographer Nadir Siddiqui, nonfiction and animation producer Huma Murad Shah, award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Maryam Ishani Thompson, edit mentor Husain Qaizar, and sound engineer and producer Sameer Khan.

Together, the mentors brought experience in cinematography, documentary production, ethics, journalism and sound design.

The event brought together representatives of the British Council and Scottish Documentary Institute, members of the diplomatic community, filmmakers and media professionals. Attendees also included Ayeza Khan, Sana Javed, Sanam Saeed, Momal Sheikh, Ali Khan, Erica Robin, Amna Ilyas, Adnan Malik, Tapu Javeri, Amean J. and Sania Maskatiya, among others.

Patakha Pictures is an initiative of SOC Films dedicated to supporting the next generation of documentary storytellers in Pakistan.