Tribeca Film Fest: Sharmeen's 'Song of Lahore' receives standing ovation

Published April 21, 2015
The documentary focuses on the music community of Lahore. —Photo courtesy: tribecafilm.com
The documentary focuses on the music community of Lahore. —Photo courtesy: tribecafilm.com

Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken's documentary 'Song of Lahore' received a standing ovation at its screening at the ongoing 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival at various locations throughout downtown Manhattan.

The documentary focuses on the music community of Lahore, which until the late 1970s, was well-known for its music and talent. In 2004, Izzat Majeed founded Sachal Studios to create a space for traditional music in a nation that had rejected its musical roots.

The Sachal ensemble of Sachal Studios in New York for the Song of Lahore premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2015.— Photo courtesy: SOC's Facebook page
The Sachal ensemble of Sachal Studios in New York for the Song of Lahore premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2015.— Photo courtesy: SOC's Facebook page

After convincing a number of master musicians to pick up their instruments again, Sachal Studios quietly released some classical and folk albums, but an experimental album fusing jazz and South Asian instruments brought Sachal Studios into the global spotlight. Song of Lahore follows Sachal Studios' journey.

The sole entry from Pakistan, Song of Lahore has been nominated for the World Documentary Feature Competition at this year's festival and will contest in the following categories with 11 other international entries:

  • Best Documentary Feature
  • Best New Documentary Director
  • Best Documentary Editing

In an interview with The Wrap, Sharmeen said, “We just wanted to showcase the voices of this music.”

Although there weren't any other entries from Pakistan, two Pakistani celebrities, Ironman famed actor Faran Tahir and comedian Saad Haroon made it to the fest to show their support for Song of Lahore

The twelve films in 2015’s World Documentary Competition represent the year's achievements in nonfiction storytelling.

The festival that kicked off on April 15 will end on April 26.

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