Pakistani film Moklani: The Last Mohanas makes history, wins global honour at Jackson Wild Media Awards

Dubai: Pakistani filmmaker Jawad Sharif has made history as his film Moklani: The Last Mohanas clinched the country’s first-ever award at the prestigious Jackson Wild Media Awards, one of the world’s most respected platforms celebrating excellence in environmental and wildlife storytelling.

The film won in the Global Voices Category, triumphing over more than 500 international submissions. The award was announced during the Jackson Wild Awards Gala in the United States, where over 200 global judges reviewed 1,000 hours of media before selecting the winners, according to Dawn.

Directed and produced by Jawad Sharif, the film offers a deeply moving portrayal of the Mohana community of Manchar Lake in Sindh — one of Pakistan’s oldest indigenous fisherfolk societies.

Living for centuries on wooden boathouses, the Mohanas now face a devastating crisis as pollution, shrinking waters and climate change threaten to erase their cultural and ecological heritage.

About the Jackson Wild Media Awards

• Founded: 1991 (originally as the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, USA).

• Purpose: Recognises excellence in wildlife, conservation, and environmental storytelling.

• Global reputation: Often called the “Oscars of environmental filmmaking.”

• Scope: Draws entries from more than 60 countries every year.

• Judging process: Over 200 international experts review 1,000+ hours of film and digital media.

• Categories include: Global Voices, Ecosystem, Conservation, Impact Campaign, and Short Form.

• Goal: To “maximise the impact of storytelling that highlights our urgent responsibility to protect and restore the planet.”

“Moklani is both a visually striking and deeply human portrait of a community on the brink of cultural extinction,” the production team said in a statement. The film was produced with the support of the National Geographic Society and Climate Kahani.

Sharif, who has previously won acclaim for K2 and the Invisible Footmen (2015), Indus Blues (2018), and Natari (2021), said the award was a victory for the people whose story he sought to preserve.

Oscars of nature

“Their story reflects the urgent realities of climate change, cultural loss, and the need to preserve both humanity and nature,” Sharif said. “To see their story recognised on a global stage is deeply humbling. This honour belongs to the Mohana community.”

Formed in 1991, the Jackson Wild Media Awards — formerly the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival — are considered the ‘Oscars of nature and conservation filmmaking’, honouring works that inspire action for a sustainable planet.