• Land allocated for ‘Film City’ within Nawaz Sharif IT City
• Committee will vet scripts, oversee grants for filmmakers

LAHORE: The Punjab government has constituted an eight-member Punjab Film Fund Dis­bursement Committee for disbursement of funds under the CM Punjab Film Fund among filmmakers as a grant-in-aid for promoting the film industry in Punjab.

The cabinet approved the constitution of the committee during the current financial year.

The committee, notified by the Punjab information and culture department, has four provincial ministers and as many administrative secretaries.

Punjab’s senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has been notified as convener of the committee including information and culture minister Azma Bokhari, finance minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, human rights and minority affairs minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Aurora, information department secretary Tahir Raza Hamdani, Planning and Development Board secretary Asif Tufail, finance department secretary Mujahid Sherdil and tourism department secretary Fareed Ahmad Tarar.

Film City project approved

In the committee’s maiden meeting, Ms Aurangzeb informed members that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had approved the establishment of Punjab’s first Film City, including a studio, post-production lab, and a film school.

She stated that the land had been allocated for the film city, studio, and post-production lab within the Nawaz Sharif IT City, located in Lahore’s Central Business District. She said the first progress review on design and other related steps had also been completed.

The Punjab government has assigned the committee to review and approve applications for grant-in-aid of film producers or film production companies, who have produced and released at least one film since the year 2007.

The committee’s ToRs say the grant is open for applicants starting “new films” and also for films that have been “partially completed” by producers (in need of funds for finishing).

The committee will ensure the scripts have “relevant rights and ownership, authorship, remake, adaptation, secured and cleared in affidavits or certificates of registration of copyright or other verifiable documents”.

The disbursement committee shall formulate criteria for the management and day-to-day administration of the fund, besides finalising criteria for disbursement of funds.

The committee will also oversee the implementation of the Punjab Film Policy and approve percentage incentives to filmmakers on the box office business of the film. It shall scrutinise the applications received for grants and funds.

The committee will finalise the pre-qualification of film producers and film production companies, shortlist applicants eligible for grants or funds and oversee grant disbursement to eligible film producers or film production companies.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2025