Islamabad, 10 December 2021 (TDI): On Thursday, British High Commissioner Christian Turner and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry together hosted the screening of one of the most highly-rated films since the epidemic, James Bond: No Time To Die, at the Islamabad Club.
Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Minister for Industries Khusro Bakhtiar, National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf, music great Attaullah Khan, and others attended the red-carpet opening.
This unique Bond-themed reception was also held for the visitors. The British High Commissioner and Minister for Information emphasized the importance of the UK-Pakistan relationship and the possibility for further cultural interactions, notably in cinema and the arts.
Christian Turner announced a collaboration with Sharmeen Obaid-Patakha Chinoy’s Films and the Scottish Documentary Institute, which is managed by Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Besides producing short films with mentors from Pakistan and the United Kingdom, the initiative will work with ten aspiring female filmmakers to help them develop their creative abilities. In order to commemorate Pakistan’s 75th anniversary of independence next year, the films will be released as part of the British Council’s ‘New Perspectives’ project.
Recently, Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom and Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July to collaborate in the fields of technology, media, animation, and gaming.
While addressing the event, British High Commissioner to Pakistan said that James Bond is a cultural symbol of the UK’s world-class film industry. While giving an example of the Patakha Films, he also mentioned that hopes that they may have even more creative collaboration between the two nations as the UK approach Pakistan’s 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.
Fawad Chaudhry, the Minister for Information, expressed his gratitude to British High Commissioner Christian Turner for his unwavering support for the revival of foreign film in Pakistan.
According to him, the Bond premiere in Pakistan, which was made possible by the British High Commission, is a step toward more cultural interaction between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
He also praised the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the British High Commission for a sense of accomplishment in organizing the premiere and screening of ‘No Time To Die,’.
