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    Aks International Minorities Festival 2018: Resist

    Written by: Farheen Abdullah
    Posted on: March 21, 2018 | | 中文

    Aks International Minorities Festival 2018

    In 2014, the Aks International Minorities Festival was established in Pakistan by a group of activists seeking to improve the representation of minorities. Gaining inspiration from an Urdu/Persian word, Aks (Reflection), the festival intends to motivate self-reflection through movie screenings, discussions, debates, educational workshops, art exhibitions and performance art events. Through the events spread out over several weeks, the festival promotes awareness, establishes discourse, addresses human rights issues, and promotes visibility and empowerment of minorities and marginalized groups.

    Kami Sid, transgender activist, model, and host for Aks at Karachi

    Kami Sid, transgender activist, model, and host for Aks at Karachi (Source: Gulnaz Anjum)

    The festival was initiated by the Khawaja Sira (Transgender) community of Pakistan and has taken place annually in Pakistan, across Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi, with specific focus on equal trans representation. Aks has also held an annual festival in Copenhagen since 2015, and set foot in Manchester last year. In Pakistan, Aks challenges it’s attendees to empathize and demand justice for minorities in Pakistan, and thereby strengthens inter-community solidarity by building bridges between the mainstream and marginalized groups. 

    While the fourth AKS Festival will be carrying on in different parts of the country until 25th March, 2018, the Karachi edition was held from 16th to 20th March. With the theme of ‘Resist,’ this year’s Aks consisted of dialogues, short films, and even an official party with Kami Sid, the notable transgender activist and model. Most of the Karachi events were held at The Second Floor (T2F), and attracted a diverse audience each day. Short films such as ‘The Streets are Ours,’ and ‘Apricot Groves,’ were screened, and a discussion carried out with activist Bindya Rana.

    A discussion with Bindiya Rana

    A discussion with Bindiya Rana (Source: SamarFactor)

    On Sunday evening, an event titled ‘Made in Pakistan’ was held at T2F. While four short films had been scheduled for the day, only two were screened. The most eagerly anticipated film was Hamza Bangash’s ‘Rang Raaz: The Secret Color.’ The film stars Hadi bin Arshad and Amtul Baweja in lead roles, a duo which has been famous in Karachi ever since their theatrical performance ‘Baraf Paani,’ while Kashif Hussain has been cast in a supporting role. The movie is about a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl who fall in love and elope, and are then faced with the consequences of their choices. In terms of direction, Hamza Bangash played to his strengths again, and used a single set for his movie (Sandspit).  Even though the screening only gave away an 11-minute teaser, it left the audience curious and excited about the film. However, it was a confusing moment for those who had been looking forward to watching the entire film. The dedication of the team also deserves to be recognized, since they all came to the event to promote their film, and have been raising funds through an online Kickstarter campaign, in order to release it in Pakistan.

    Rang Raaz by Hamza Bangash - Amtul Baweja (Maryam), Hadi bin Arshad (Amir), Kashif Hussain (Tahir)

    Rang Raaz by Hamza Bangash - Amtul Baweja (Maryam), Hadi bin Arshad (Amir), Kashif Hussain (Tahir)

    The second film of the evening was ‘Sabburah’ by Ibrahim Rana. The film narrates the story of a school-going boy, who is torn between who he is and who society wants him to be. Not only does Ibrahim Rana do an outstanding job at sensitively portraying the issue of identity in the short span of 50 minutes, he also uses advanced techniques within the film which left the audience thoroughly impressed. What particularly facilitated the viewers’ understanding was the alternate use of yellow and grey tints, to differentiate between the past and present. As the mother in the film, Hafsa Awan’s character showed how a woman is torn between being a mother and a wife. Even in moments of anger, she used her expressions to convey emotion rather than raising her voice.

    Sabburah by Ibrahim Rana

    Sabburah by Ibrahim Rana

    The success of the festival can be gauged by the fact that the current edition is also taking place in cities like Hyderabad and Peshawar. Under the banner of Aks Outreach, the organizers have been visiting local universities and institutions, such as Beaconhouse National University (BNU) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) to spread word about the festival. The festival intends to encourage students to implement their academic learning about inclusivity and acceptance in the real world. A new segment in the festival focuses on women as filmmakers and central subjects in films. Through the rigorous efforts of the Aks team, the festival is sure to attract larger audiences each day, and carve out a safe space for minorities to express themselves.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021