Pakistani film 'Song of Lahore' wins big in London

"Song of Lahore", a documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken, which focuses on the music community of Lahore, won the Audience Choice Award at the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival.

"We are delighted that 'Song of Lahore' has won the audience award. The film is a labour of love, and an ode to the beautiful city of Lahore and the Sachal orchestra," said Obaid-Chinoy and Schocken.

The Satyajit Ray Short Film Award went to "Mochi" (The Cobbler) by Saqib Pandor, it included a cash prize of 1,000 pounds, reports variety.com.

"Song of Lahore" is a documentary which focuses on the music community of Lahore, which until the late 1970s, was world-renowned for its music and talent.

In 2004, Izzat Majeed founded Sachal Studios to create a space for traditional music in a nation that had rejected its musical roots.

After convincing a number of master musicians to pick up their instruments again, they quietly released some classical and folk albums, but an experimental album fusing jazz and South Asian instruments brought Sachal Studios worldwide acclaim.

"Song of Lahore" turns the spotlight on Sachal Studios and charters the ensemble's journey to reclaim and reinvigorate an art that has lost its space in Pakistan's narrowing cultural sphere.

The movie has previously headlined various international film festivals across the globe as the official selection, such as Heartland Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, IDFA Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Hamptons Film Festival and Melbourne Film Festival to name a few.

Running from July 14 to July 24, the seventh Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival showcased films in venues across London and Birmingham in 15 different languages and featured seven women filmmakers.

--IANS

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