Tazeen Bari is a documentary filmmaker who has been directing and producing documentaries in Pakistan for over 10 years. Her documentaries include “The Valleys Our Ancestors Chose” , “Letters From Death Row” acquired by Al Jazeera for Witness, “Vote for X”, “Qandeel” released by Guardian documentaries and an episode for the Emmy Nominated Vice series WOMAN with Gloria Steinem. Tazeen is the co-founder of the Documentary Association of Pakistan and is also currently developing her first fiction feature.
Saad Khan is a director, writer, editor and producer. Khan was born and raised in Lahore. He is of Pashtun and Punjabi descent. His documentary films include Chuppan Chupai (2013), Qandeel (2017) and Showgirls of Pakistan (2020). His chapbook Mashallah Bohot Zabardast was published in 2019.
Films shown in Divvy Film Festival 2023
The Valleys Our Ancestors Chose, 2023, Tazeen Bari
The Kalasha are an indigenous community residing in three valleys found at the foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains in Pakistan. Their ancient religion is deeply connected to nature, and they celebrate the changing seasons. Once beyond the monsoons, their isolated valleys are now routinely flooded due to climate change. In 2015, devastating floods destroyed fields, homes and Kalashas’ livelihoods, threatening the very existence of Pakistan’s smallest indigenous community. We document the annual harvest festival, which this summer was followed by the historic floods that inundated much of Pakistan.
Films shown in Divvy Film Festival 2021
The life, death and impact of Pakistan’s working-class icon Qandeel Baloch, killed in 2016 after becoming a social media celebrity. This film tells Qandeel’s story through her own videos and media appearances. A young, fearless woman who collided with Pakistan’s mainstream media, Qandeel exposed the religious right and challenged middle-class morality. From her life before stardom in a rural village to her early days in entertainment as a model and actor, Qandeel gained attention by making provocative web videos. We get to know Qandeel through her family, admirers and those she interacted with and inspired. The film also analyses her life through the lens of class and power politics and connects it to women’s continuing struggle for self-expression in Pakistan.
