New Delhi: Pakistani film ‘Vakhri’ made a splash at the 5th Yellowstone International Film Festival held in New Delhi, India. The film brought glory to Pakistan by winning the Best Director award.
The film’s director Iram Parveen Bilal expressed her happiness on receiving this award and wrote on Instagram: “Thank you to the judges and organizers of the Yellowstone International Film Festival. ‘Vakhri’ achieves its best shine with the audience. Thank you to my team, cast and all the crew who made my vision a reality.”
Festival founder and director Tushar Tyagi also praised the film, saying: “We were extremely excited to screen the Pakistani film ‘Vakhri’, which was our festival’s closing night special. The film has previously screened at SXSW, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Red Sea International Film Festival.”
The story of the film ‘Vakhri’ is based on the story of a teacher who faces many challenges after becoming an influencer on social media. The story was inspired by the life of the late social media influencer Qandeel Baloch.
According to director Iram Parveen Bilal, the film not only highlights the realities of social media but also shows how faceless comments and clicks on social media empower collective anger and erode empathy.
Iram said in an interview that the global interest in Pakistani cinema is empowering local stories, which is having a positive impact on the industry.
