The panel  discussion was held at the opening ceremony which was held at the Serena hotel. The discussion titled as Freedom of Expression and the Burden of Censorship, explored the politics of film censorship and the limits of tolerance and sensitivity associated with the censorship regime. A lively discussion ensued between the panelists, that featured Ms. Tazeen Bari (Documentary Filmmaker), Ms. Samar Minallah (Anthropologist and Documentary Filmmaker), and Ms. Safina Syma Khar (Member Censor Board). The panel was moderated by Ms. Madeeha Raza herself (Founder & Curator WIFF). The Public screenings of 14 films were scheduled at the FACE (Foundation of Arts, Culture, and Education) in Islamabad from 14th to 15th March.

To commemorate International Women’s Day, WIFF also organized an Open Mic Night on 8th March that took place after the film screening. The event saw local artists take to the stage and present their stories about women and the struggle for gender rights and equality.

On the final day, 9th March, the headliner event for WIFF was held where 13 short films, which were shortlisted from thousands from all over the world, were screened. Women from around the world including Bulgaria, Iran, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the United States, besides some from Pakistan, submitted films that were screened at the event. The themes for this year were Child Abuse, Helping Hands, and Sexual Harassment. The discussion panel for this year, titled Fostering Cultural Diplomacy through Cinema, explored the role films have played, especially in the South Asian context, to define and change perspectives on culture and norms. A lively discussion ensued between the panelists. This was followed by a live performance by a local band to add to the festival experience. After the closing ceremony, a reception was arranged for the guests to interact with each other.

The main event comprised of a grand film screening, besides panel discussions and live performances, followed by a reception/hi-tea. Going in reverse, Panel B started by screening Tanzeen Bari’s 30-minute film “Matkay pay Thappa’ followed by an engaging discussion with the filmmaker herself, Sehar Tariq (representative of Shireen Rehman), and the panel moderator Ms. Rukshanda Naz (Gender and women right Activists). The Panel A was centered on self-empowerment of filmmakers featuring two of our talented filmmakers Ibrahim Rana and Namra Nasir, whose films were showcased at the event, along with our Irish film trainer Gabrielle Kelly who had joined us for the Parwaaz film lab.

The film festival closed with the prize distribution, with Fatima Hussaini from Tajikistan, winning first place for her film Screaming Silence. Nmara Nasir from Pakistan secured second place for her She for Her. Third place was awarded to Suruchi Sharma from India, for her film The Dusk. The evening concluded with a musical performance by Dania Adil and Mubbashir Sheikh.

As part of the capacity building component, WIFF held the Parwaaz Film Lab where registered/shortlisted filmmakers had the opportunity to learn ‘The Art of Cinematic Storytelling’ in a day-long lab from film experts coming all the way from Europe. 

A panel of venerated judges from within the media world judged the films on the basis of set criteria. These included New York-based producer and director Marilyn Agrelo, Pakistani documentary film-maker and journalist Haya Fatima Iqbal, Pakistani TV and film director Anjum Shahzad, UK-based human rights activist Mandy Sanghera and renowned Pakistani film and music video director Yasir Jaswal. On the first day, a panel discussion was held, with the guest representation of prominent figures including Aaron Haroon Rashid, Jamal Shah, Sadaf Raza, and Naima Ansari, highlighting the role of women in film, and the importance of promoting female voices in the industry.

The second day featured a panel discussion with eminent guests including Mishi Khan, Shamoon Hashmi, Kanwal Naseer, and Halimah Tariq. This was followed by a Q&A session with the audience that promoted a healthy exchange of ideas regarding using film as a catalyst for social change in the form of women empowerment. The discussion regarding the dire need for women’s empowerment in Pakistan was not only enlightening but also inspiring.

The panel discussion was followed by the much-awaited announcement of the top three winners, with Ashique Mostafa from Bangladesh, winning first place for her film: Statement After My Poet Husband’s Death. Shikha Janet Alagh, from India, secured second place for Deaf Ears. Third place was awarded to Sangeeta Nambiar, from Malaysia, for Rahayu: Her Road to Freedom. To top it off, the evening was concluded with an invigorating musical performance by Mizraab Khawar, the lead vocalist for an underground band.