Pakistani short film makes it to six international film festivals, including the South Asian International Film Festival (NYC).
A Train Crosses The Desert, is a Pakistani, Sindhi film written and directed by filmmaker – journalist, Rahul Aijaz. This film is yet to be released in Pakistan but the Pakistani short film has already made it to six film festivals.
It has so far made it to the Asian Film Festival, CMX – Itinerant Film Exhibition MX (Mexico), 8th Silk Road International Film Awards (Turkey), LIFFT India Filmotsav (India), Rajasthan film festival and South Asian International Film Festival (NYC). Once the festival run ends, the filmmaker is planning to release it online and/or screen at local festivals by next year.
When he was asked why he felt the need to make a short film in Sindhi, he responded that no one has ever done that before. “I feel it is important to develop a regional cinema that gives a unique identity to Pakistan’s film industry,” he further added, “Everybody should have films to watch in their regional language. I want to push for regional cinema; the film has had a bit of success and I hope it brings a spotlight on having the need for regional cinema.”
Filmmaker Rahul Aijaz also has planned to make a feature-length film in Sindhi within a few years. Coming back to A Train Crosses the Desert, he shared that it explores the universal themes of grief, loss, music, and death. He has dedicated the film to his cousin brother Farooq Ahmed, who lost his battle with cancer in 2018. He is the reason behind the film.
“The response I’ve gotten from filmmakers within and outside Pakistan has been overwhelming,” he furthered. “The film does not intend to serve a single purpose but leave it on viewers to take away whatever touches them.”