“I have committed a big sin. I erased something that God gave me and that’s a sin,” he said as he wiped his tears for the next question. This Monday evening didn’t only see Noor’s tears and his happiness but also the beginning of a two-day film festival at Alliance française, Karachi, called ‘A French Filmmaker’s Perspective’. The launching ceremony started with a panel discussion between participating filmmakers Çağla Zencirci, Guillaume Giovanetti, Michel Spinosa and actor Noor, who features in one of the films. ‘A French Filmmaker’s Perspective as the name suggests, focuses on showing their perspective on Pakistan and South Asia.
The first movie to be screened was Noor, which is based on the life of an actual transgender Hijra, Noor, who desperately wants to grow a beard. Noor is tired of dancing at weddings and also gotten over a love affair with another transgender; an event that drastically changed his life. The story of the film starts with Noor working at the Truck Decoration Centre dressed up like a man and is looking for a girl who will bring happiness to his life.
Çağla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti found Noor through an acquaintance and were inspired to make a movie on his life while they were already working on another film in Pakistan. Noor was released in theatres in France in April 2014 and received great response from critics and audiences a like. It was also featured in the 65th Cannes film festival and numerous other festivals around the world ever since its inception in 2010.
The director duo of Zencirci and Giovanetti met in Ankara, Turkey where they decided to make films. They started directing in 2004 with a small crew and haven’t stopped ever since. Noor is their eigth project but first feature film together.
While talking about making a movie in Pakistan, Çağla said, “We made a movie in a country where fairies really exist, where people believe in them. It’s spiritual and interesting to see faith having such an influence on life.” I love Pakistan. I wanted to show normal people living their life in Pakistan; not the Pakistan that is shown in the media, where there are talibans,” she said.
Giovanetti considers Noor a tribute to his friends in Pakistan and wanted to make a movie about a beardless man to defy stereotypes associated with Pakistani society. “The initial idea was not to make a movie on transgender issues but more about breaking prejudices in Pakistani people’s minds. If you can have empathy at the end of the movie then the movie was successful.”
When asked what it was like to play his own real-life role in a movie Noor said, “I wanted people to hear my story; of what I have been through, and for people to give feedback on my story.”
“Before shooting this film, I was a dancing hijra, living with the Guru. My life was bad but it became good. I didn’t expect the things that happened. That’s why I am grateful to them for telling my story and walking on the streets and coming and talking to me.”
“Part social-realism, part magical-realism and probably silly and absurd to some Pakistani viewers, Noor is ultimately a pleasantly watchable fairy tale, helped in no small measure by the effortless charm and considerable screen presence of the real-life Noor himself , a transgendered snooker player from Lahore, acting for the first time,” said Saqib Malik, a renowned Pakistani director who came to show his support at the event along with other celebrities such as actor Talat Hussain, director Jami and photographer Tapu Javeri to name a few.
Right now, the filmmakers are looking for Pakistani distributors who can help take their film to cinemas across Pakistan, even if its for a short period of time.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2014.
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