Pakistani Films Receive Major Awards at Canadian Film Festival
Pakistani cinema earned international recognition at the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF) 2026 in Canada, with several Pakistani productions receiving awards across different categories.
Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali emerged as one of the major winners, receiving the Special Jury Prize and the Best Sound Design Award. Farazeh Syed was also recognized with the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in the film.
Lali Receives Multiple Awards
Lali, which premiered at the Berlinale earlier this year, also served as the opening film of MISAFF 2026.
Set in Sahiwal, the film follows Zeba, played by Mamya Shajaffar, whose married life becomes complicated by suspicion, jealousy and rumors surrounding a curse connected to her past.
The film combines elements of Punjabi folklore, dark comedy and supernatural storytelling while exploring family relationships and social pressures. Its cast also includes Channan Hanif, Farazeh Syed, Rasti Farooq and Mehar Bano.
Documentary on Battagram Tragedy Wins Award
Another Pakistani production, Hanging by a Wire, directed by Mohammed Ali Naqvi, received the Sabeen Mahmud Award for Courage in Cinema in the Documentary category.
The documentary focuses on the 2023 Battagram cable car incident, in which eight people, including six children, became trapped hundreds of feet above a river after a cable broke.
All eight individuals were eventually rescued following a challenging operation that continued for several hours.
The documentary reconstructs the incident using eyewitness accounts, footage from the scene and cinematic recreations. It also highlights the rescue operation, community support and the efforts made to save those trapped.
Hanging by a Wire is also representing Pakistan as the country’s entry for this year’s Academy Awards.
The Last Glance Wins Best International Short
Pakistan also secured an award in the short-film category, with Kamran Faiq’s The Last Glance being named Best International Short Film.
The 13-minute film tells the story of Barkaat, his pregnant wife Bushra and their young son Ahmad as they leave their village amid violence.
Their journey takes a difficult turn when they reach a remote police checkpoint, where they are confronted with a challenging moral decision.
Documentary Receives Honorable Mention
Another Pakistani production, The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony, received an Honorable Mention in the Best Documentary category.
The film focuses on young gymnasts from Karachi’s Macchar Colony and their experiences in pursuing the sport despite difficult circumstances.
The 12th edition of MISAFF was held from September 30 to October 4. The festival featured 16 feature films and 30 short films from Pakistan, Canada, India, Nepal, Iran and several other countries.
The awards and selections at the festival provided another international platform for Pakistani filmmakers and highlighted the growing diversity of stories being produced by the country’s cinema and documentary makers.
