Two Pakistani films, Deemak and Nayab, have earned international acclaim at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival 2025, held in Yangzhou, China. The event, which spanned five days, saw both films winning top honors, making Pakistan proud on a global platform.
According to Dunya News, Deemak received the Best Editing Award, accepted by the film’s director Rafay Rashdi and lead actress Sonya Hussyn. Meanwhile, Nayab secured the Special Jury Award, received by director Umair Nasir Ali and actor Osama Khan.
The Pakistani delegation at the festival included Shehzad Rafique, chairman of the Pakistan Film Producers Association (also a jury member), film distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla, Irfan Malik, Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar, DG DEM Samina Farzeen, and members from the Pakistan Embassy including Manzoor Ali.
Deemak features a star-studded cast including Javed Sheikh, Samina Peerzada, Bushra Ansari, Sonya Hussyn, Faisal Qureshi, and Saman Ansari. The story centers around tense family dynamics between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, all set within an eerie house filled with supernatural activities.
Nayab stars Yumna Zaidi, Javed Sheikh, Adnan Siddiqui, Osama Khan, Fawad Khan, and Faryal Mehmood. It follows a young girl’s journey who dreams of becoming a cricketer while battling societal and family challenges.
These accolades are seen as a major step forward for Pakistani cinema, showcasing its rising potential on international platforms.
