The film festival organised by the Punjab Youth Festival concluded Alhamra Cultural Complex on Monday.
Minister for Sports and Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan distributed prizes among the winners.
Addressing the prize distribution ceremony, he said, “The government will try to offer more opportunities to the youth to showcase their skills.” He appreciated the work of students who had produced several dramas and documentary films.
Responding to the criticism on the youth festival, the minister said it had turned into a movement which had helped create a soft image of the country.
“Pakistani youth demonstrated wonderful discipline in front of Guinness World Record (GWR) team,” he added.
“We want to upgrade the educational institutions in Multan, Khanewal, Rahim Yar Khan and other areas of south Punjab. Work has already started on this task,” he added. He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had not started the youth festival for a political motive.
“Education is the top priority of the government but it also has to keep in mind the price-hike, lawlessness and unemployment,” he said.
Awards were given to the best films in six categories.
Students of various educational institutions exhibited their films in different categories and after the inspection of jury, the best films were selected.
Land of Fire Flies directed by NCA Multimedia Department’s Haroon Habib won the fiction film award. Kalu directed by Naveed Anjum was named the second best film of the same category.
Murtaza Mart belonging to NCA Film and TV Department won the best award for his documentary film Narr Surr.
Sheedi Badshah, a film directed by Adnan Kardar, was declared the second best of the category.
In the short film category, AR Naeem’s film won the top award. The film Depressed Girl directed by Francus Lejaut was second.
Zainab Almahye’s film Light of Life won the first position in animated film category while Gregor Dashuber’s film Never Drive a Car earned the second place in the same category.
Aksa Masood, a student of Kinnaird College, took the best short film award for her film Umeed Saher. Anjum Jastan’s film Zindigi Aik Umeed got the second award.
Hadle Kaliman’s film Approach won the award for the best experimental film. Vishal Rajput’s film Anjan Log Gummnam Kahani was the runners up.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2014.