Pakistani cinema has received major recognition at the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF) 2026.
Three Pakistani films won major honours at the festival in Canada. The results highlighted the variety of stories emerging from Pakistan’s film industry.
Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali was among the biggest Pakistani winners. The film received the Special Jury Prize at the festival.
Farazeh Syed also won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Lali. The film additionally secured the award for Best Sound Design.
Set in Sahiwal, Lali follows Zeba, a newlywed woman facing difficulties in her marriage. Her relationship is affected by jealousy, suspicion and damaging rumours.
The story also involves a curse connected to Zeba’s past. The film combines Punjabi folklore, supernatural elements and family tensions.
Mamya Shajaffar, Channan Hanif, Farazeh Syed, Rasti Farooq and Mehar Bano feature in the cast.
The dark comedy explores relationships while drawing on elements of local folklore. Its festival success has brought further attention to Pakistani filmmaking.
Documentary Earns Courage in Cinema Honour
Mo Naqvi’s documentary Hanging By A Wire also received major recognition at MISAFF 2026.
The documentary won the Sabeen Mahmud Award for Courage in Cinema. It received the honour in the Documentary category.
The film revisits the 2023 Battagram cable car tragedy in Pakistan. Several passengers became stranded above a ravine after a cable snapped.
Schoolchildren were among those trapped in the cable car. The incident triggered a major rescue effort and drew widespread public attention.
Hanging By A Wire reconstructs the rescue using different forms of material. These include eyewitness accounts and footage recorded at the scene.
The documentary also uses cinematic recreations to present the events. It focuses on survival, community support and the rescue efforts.
The film highlights the difficult circumstances faced by those trapped inside the cable car. It also documents the efforts made to bring them to safety.
The Last Glance Wins International Short Film Award
Kamran Faiq’s The Last Glance secured another major award for Pakistani cinema. The 13-minute film was named Best International Short Film.
The film follows Barkaat, his pregnant wife Bushra and their young son Ahmad. The family leaves their village amid violence.
Their journey takes an unexpected turn at a remote police checkpoint. There, the family faces a difficult moral decision.
The situation tests the characters’ humanity under intense circumstances. The film explores fear, survival and moral choices during conflict.
The three productions received honours in different categories at the Canadian festival. Each film presents a distinct story and filmmaking approach.
Lali combines dark comedy with folklore and supernatural themes. Hanging By A Wire revisits a major real-life tragedy through documentary storytelling.
Meanwhile, The Last Glance focuses on a family facing violence and an unexpected ethical challenge.
The honours for all three films provide international exposure for Pakistani filmmakers. They also highlight the range of subjects explored by Pakistan’s contemporary cinema.
The MISAFF 2026 results underline the growing presence of Pakistani films at international festivals. The recognition also gives wider audiences an opportunity to discover local stories.
The three films brought attention to different aspects of Pakistani life and storytelling. Their success adds another notable chapter to Pakistan’s international film festival presence.
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