The three-day Nueplex Film Festival, featuring short movies by young and independent film-makers, concluded with the announcement of awards in nine categories on Sunday. Eighteen short movies were screened during the first two days at the Nueplex Cinemas.
Two of the awards announced on the final day went to Kuldeep Khatri for the film ‘Vachan’ in the Best Film and Best Screenplay categories. The drama revolves around Shrawan, a young Hindu man who decides to take his deceased father’s body to a place only he knows.
Amaan Zuberi received the Best Director award for ‘Haibat’. The drama is based on the life of Ayesha, whose sudden change in mood quickly turns a sweet moment into something uncomfortable.
Ali Rana received the Best Actor award for ‘Psycho Taxi’, Howra Batool received the Best Actress award for ‘Parwaaz-e-Darshab’, and Sarosh Ahmad received the Best Sound Design award for ‘Where Is My Yellow’.
Halar Khoso received the Best Cinematography award for ‘The Silence After the Storm’, Sharmeen Ali received the Best Editing award for ‘Reverie’, and Saleena Khan received the Best Production Design award for ‘Shehr-e-Mashooq’.
The event was the brainchild of businesswoman Tooba J Baig, who is also an aspiring film-maker and the project director of the film festival. According to the organisers, the goal of the festival was to bridge the gap between unexplored talent and the Pakistani film industry.