Sabiha Sumar is a multiple awardwinning filmmaker and a Sundance Alumnus. She co-founded Vidhi Films (1992) with the
aim of telling Asian stories for a global audience. Sabiha’s most notable works are Who Will Cast the First Stone (Golden
Gate Award, San Francisco International Film Festival), Dinner with the President (EU Award and Anasy Best Documentary
Award) Khamosh Pani/ Silent Waters (Golden Leopard, Locarno Film Festival and 16 other awards worldwide) and Azmaish
a journey through the subcontinent.
Sumar Produced Pakistan’s first Oscar and Emmy winner Saving Face. Her films have been commissioned by ZDF, ARTE, Channel Four, BBC, Al Jazeera, PBS and HBO. Her films have won critical acclaim at MoMA, Tiff, Sundance, Locarno, Goteborg, Hamburg, Mumbai, BFI LFF and Human Rights Watch. Sabiha was elected Honorary Fellow by Wolfson College, University of Cambridge and awarded the title Garde de Chevalier by the Ministry of Arts and Letters, Government of France. In 2017 she won the Special Recognition Award at the London Asian Film Festival.
Sumar Produced Pakistan’s first Oscar and Emmy winner Saving Face. Her films have been commissioned by ZDF, ARTE, Channel Four, BBC, Al Jazeera, PBS and HBO. Her films have won critical acclaim at MoMA, Tiff, Sundance, Locarno, Goteborg, Hamburg, Mumbai, BFI LFF and Human Rights Watch. Sabiha was elected Honorary Fellow by Wolfson College, University of Cambridge and awarded the title Garde de Chevalier by the Ministry of Arts and Letters, Government of France. In 2017 she won the Special Recognition Award at the London Asian Film Festival.
Films shown in Divvy Film Festival 2020
Khamosh Pani, Sabiha Sumar, 2003
Ayesha's life revolves around her son Saleem - a gentle, dreamy 18 year old, in love with Zubeida. The story begins in 1979, in a small Pakistani village, under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law where Islamic fundamentalism takes a dangerous turn, encouraging young men to train for Jihad. Ayesha and Zubeida watch helplessly as their Saleem becomes radicalised. Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India pour into the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was abducted in 1947 during the Partition of the Sub-continent. This unravels well-kept secrets that neither Ayesha nor Saleem are prepared to accept.
Awards: Golden Leopard for Best Film, Locarno Film Festival; Best Director, Festival Internacional Cine de Mar del Plata; Audience Award, Nantes Film Festival; Best Film, Bollywood and Beyond; and 13 other awards worldwide
Ayesha's life revolves around her son Saleem - a gentle, dreamy 18 year old, in love with Zubeida. The story begins in 1979, in a small Pakistani village, under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law where Islamic fundamentalism takes a dangerous turn, encouraging young men to train for Jihad. Ayesha and Zubeida watch helplessly as their Saleem becomes radicalised. Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India pour into the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was abducted in 1947 during the Partition of the Sub-continent. This unravels well-kept secrets that neither Ayesha nor Saleem are prepared to accept.
Awards: Golden Leopard for Best Film, Locarno Film Festival; Best Director, Festival Internacional Cine de Mar del Plata; Audience Award, Nantes Film Festival; Best Film, Bollywood and Beyond; and 13 other awards worldwide
