Title: “Life in the Gutter Gate”
Year of Production: 2005
Duration: 14:47 minutes
Genre: Ethnographic Documentary
Languages: Pashto, Urdu & Punjabi [English Subtitles]
Location: Lahore, Pakistan
My Role: Researcher & Director
Synopsis
Life in the Gutter Gate is an Ethnographic Documentary which gives us an insight into the lives of two Afghan children who work as trash collectors; Bazmail & Kareem, 8 & 11 years old respectively. They reside and work at the 'Morie Gate' also known as the 'Gutter Gate'. Gutter Gate is one of the thirteen gates of the 2000 year old 'Inner walled city of Lahore'. The film is an attempt to study & document the survival, desires, hopes, miseries, happiness, personality and profession of these children. One of the aims of the film is to showcase the political, social and economical factors contributing to the lives of the migrated and the most marginalized group of Afghan children, working as trash collectors. The film demonstrates how these children shape their attitudes and habits in order to survive as trash collectors.
Screenings & Awards
ITALY: Cross-Cultural Filmmaking: "At The Italian House of Representatives,Rome - VI International Conference" (2011)
USA: International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) (2010)
USA: School of Visual Arts, New York (2010)
France: Official Selection: Alliances Francaises du Pakistan, in the series “Cycle de Documentaires” (2010)
Italy: Best Director: Cinemadamare International Film Festival (2009)
UK: Official Selection: Asia House, London (2009)
Nepal: Official: South Asian Interactive Documentary Film Festival by SAFMA [South Asian Free Media Association] in the series “Conflict, Peace, People and Culture” (2008)
PAKISTAN: 7th Lux Style Scholarship Award for ‘Emerging Filmmakers’ (2008)
FRANCE: Official Selection: “29th Festival des 3 Continents Cinema, in the series “Pakistan then and now” (2007)
GERMANY: Kardinal Bea Grundschule (Riedbohringen) (2006)
PAKISTAN: Best Cinematography, Direction and Editing, LUMS & UET
PAKISTAN: AAG Channel, GEO T.V. (2005-2006)
PAKISTAN: Screening: 5th Kara Film Festival, Karachi | Rafi Peer World Performing & Visual Arts Festival, Lahore
