LAHORE, April 25: To help revive Pakistani cinema, the stakeholders involved have begun a comprehensive dialogue with the federal government, seeking concessions to equip the film industry with the latest technology and taking other short and long-term steps to achieve the objective.

The establishment of a ‘think-tank’, comprising intellectuals, to help film producers and directors augment their skills, understand the Pakistani culture and the aspirations of the cine-goers, is also part of the proposals for the resurrection of the industry.

The first round of dialogue is scheduled to be held in the city on Wednesday (today) with federal education and culture minister Lt-Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi (retired) in the chair. The meeting has been sponsored by the Pakistan Film Censor Board which has invited representatives of film producers, distributors, cinema owners and artists to have a ‘frank’ discussion with the minister to discuss and propose measures to save the industry from a total collapse.

A chat with certain important industry representatives showed that they were not happy merely with the permission to allow the screening of Indian feature films in Pakistan. However, they think this is a major step which will help save the local industry from imminent collapse, and they should take advantage of the government’s decision as a stepping stone for local cinema’s revival and its long-term sustenance.

The agenda for talks with the federal minister also includes the establishment of a national coordination committee, comprising chairpersons of all associations concerned and government nominees, to take important decisions for the revival of local cinema.

Another proposal is about the setting up of a ‘think-tank’ of intellectuals which will help writers improve the script, the screenplay and songs of a film, in addition to making producers and directors understand the requirements of a production.

Yet another proposal on the agenda of today’s meeting relates to certain amendments to the Cinematography Act aimed at removing legal lacunas in the import and exhibition of Indian films in the country. The industry seems satisfied with the government’s decision to change the law in a manner as to do away with an affidavit which all producers are required to submit to the Film Censor Board, assuring it the film does not contain any Indian material and no Indian artist has performed in the film in any manner.

But, the industry people want more from the government, including the legislation which enables them to import and exhibit Indian films.

They propose that the government should allow the import of a minimum of 25 Indian films every year under guarantee of a legislation. The stakeholders also want that the proposed ordinance seeking elimination of the affidavit condition for censorship should be moved to the National Assembly for enactment.

The also demanded the enforcement of the Copyright Act to check illegal video versions of Pakistani and Indian films being released in the market, and to ban unauthorised cable channels. For this, industry representatives say they seek the government’s ‘wholehearted’ support in their meeting with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in May.