A small-budget, indie film from Pakistan, Saawan, is up for Oscar consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category. This was announced recently by the country’s barely three-year-old selection committee, which comprises Academy and Emmy Awards-winning Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, leading film exhibitor and producer Nadeem Mandviwalla, renowned TV actress Sakina Samo, and novelist and column writer Mohammad Hanif, among others.
Directed by Farhan Alam, Saawan is based on the true story of a physically challenged boy from the valley of Balochistan who is rejected by his father, ragged by his friends, and belittled by the society at large.
Buoyed by memories of his doting mother, he embarks on a journey to a big city.
The film, which also recently won the award for the Best Foreign Language Feature at the Madrid International Film Festival (MIFF) 2017, stars TV actors Saleem Mairaj, Najiba Faiz, Imran Aslam, and Tipu Sharif in lead roles.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will choose the final nominees for all award categories in January 2018, to be followed by the 90th Oscars ceremony scheduled to take place on March 4.
