![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDAxNTUxMjktNzhkZC00NDlhLThiNWMtOTc5MGQ4NWU5M2M2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,20,500,281_.jpg)
Set (and shot in) in contemporary Pakistan, Seemab Gul’s BIFA nominated drama short Sandstorm (Mulaqat) is the story of a teenager who finds herself blackmailed by her boyfriend after sending him a sensual dance video. Gul captures protagonist Zara closely on this journey, following her with the camera intently and allowing the audience to see the world as she sees it. It’s a subtle decision but it has a great impact that feeds into the film’s social commentary on how societal restrictions and modern forms of exploitation can intersect in deeply problematic ways. This journey is represented in the film’s final sequence too which is both narratively powerful and an impressive feat of filmmaking. Dn spoke with Gul about the creative impetus for her story, the decision to follow Zara closely, and the challenge of executing the finale in Karachi during lockdown.
When did you begin...
When did you begin...
- 12/2/2022
- by James Maitre
- Directors Notes
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTY1NmQxMWUtYjE1YS00MWE3LTk4OTQtZmExOGExMjA3NjJiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
Jemima Khan (“What’s Love Got to Do With It?”) and Jaime Ray Newman (“Dopesick”) have boarded Seemab Gul’s Oscar-qualifying short film “Sandstorm” as executive producers.
A coming of age story, centering around a Pakistani schoolgirl called Zara, “Sandstorm” navigates the “tricky terrain of internet dating in a conservative Muslim society,” according to the logline as well as questions “the objectification of the female body and its relationship to honor in Pakistani culture.”
In the short, Zara sends her virtual boyfriend a “sensual dance video” which he then uses to blackmail her. “Caught between his manipulative behaviour and the desire to experience love on her own terms, Zara searches for the strength to reject the confines of a patriarchal society,” reads the synopsis.
The short snagged top awards at Rhode Island and HollyShorts Film Festivals.
The film is written, directed and co-produced by Gul, a Pakistani artist and filmmaker based...
A coming of age story, centering around a Pakistani schoolgirl called Zara, “Sandstorm” navigates the “tricky terrain of internet dating in a conservative Muslim society,” according to the logline as well as questions “the objectification of the female body and its relationship to honor in Pakistani culture.”
In the short, Zara sends her virtual boyfriend a “sensual dance video” which he then uses to blackmail her. “Caught between his manipulative behaviour and the desire to experience love on her own terms, Zara searches for the strength to reject the confines of a patriarchal society,” reads the synopsis.
The short snagged top awards at Rhode Island and HollyShorts Film Festivals.
The film is written, directed and co-produced by Gul, a Pakistani artist and filmmaker based...
- 10/7/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
imdb.1eye.us, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.