Pakistani short film 'Noor' bags prestigious award at Cannes Film Festival

KARACHI – Pakistani film Noor, which aims to raise awareness of the impact of vision impairment in children, has recently made it big at Cannes Film Festival in France.

The short film directed by Umer Adil is a story of a schoolgirl who struggles with poor eye health and it sheds light on her plights linked with vision impairment.

The film was awarded the ‘Best Health Film’ honor in the online edition at International Film Festival.

The noted World Film Festival named winners for the online edition on Monday and recognized the project for its impact as millions of children are facing short and long-sightedness which affects their development, opportunities, and skills.

After being awarded the ‘Best Health Film’ award, the film director Umer Adil took to Instagram where he shared the moment. The movie’s production house in a social media post said ‘Proud moment for Pakistan as short film 'Noor' wins big at Cannes World Film Festival!

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“With stars like Sarwat Gilani and Omair Rana, this film highlights the importance of equal eye healthcare for a fulfilling and equal life. Let's continue using films for change and raising awareness to make the world a better place for generations to come,” the post reads.  

Earlier, Noor was nominated with another Pakistani movie Pehchaan for the January 2023 edition of the Cannes World Film Festival, further solidifying Pakistan's position in the global film industry.

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In a previous post, the movie’s director called his movie as a "heartfelt narrative" that sheds light on the struggles faced by many due to cultural myths and taboos, especially children who silently suffer the most. The film, which features Sarwat Gilani, Omair Rana, Tanisha Shameem, Mizna Waqas, and Tasneem Ansari in significant roles, has been written by Farah Usman.