Advisory Board
The Advisory Board consists of industry professionals from all over the world. Their aim is to support the festival by offering ideas and providing solutions that make the event an enjoyable and enriching experience for both the filmmakers and the audience.
Darcy Pacquet
Darcy Paquet teaches at the Busan Asian Film School, and is a program consultant for the Udine Far East Film Festival. In 2014 he co-launched the Wildflower Film Awards Korea, which recognizes achievement in Korean independent cinema. He has also translated subtitles for many films including Parasite and The Handmaiden.
Kiran Murad
Kiran Murad is a Creative Consultant working on a wide array of brands ranging from household to beauty and food to automotive. She believes in breaking moulds and turning simple thoughts into brilliant ideas. Intrepid, outspoken & intuitive, Kiran strongly believes in multi-dimensional advertising based on consumer insights.
Tazeen Hussain
Tazeen Hussain, former Head of Department of Communication Design at IVS, believes in a research based teaching practice that overlaps between art, design and social change.
As an actor she has worked on TV, Stage and recently film. She is currently serving as Chair of Design category in the ADA Awards, 4th Cycle.
Naveed Arshad
As the group CEO of Seeme Production, Seeme International and See Prime, Naveed Arshad is passionate about building businesses that foster human connections and expand opportunities. He believes that visual content is a force for positive change in society. The endless possibilities that digital content creation offer today drives him to push boundaries and grow in all dimensions of film
Ayesha Jalil
Ayesha brings her 30 years of experience as an advertising professional, and her strong leadership qualities to build ventures which create impactful relationships with audiences. She is an experienced and successful entrepreneur, who believes in adapting to changing market dynamics and exploring new opportunities to fulfil market needs.
Junaid Zuberi
Junaid Zuberi currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA). With a remarkable career of over 28 years, in both Pakistan and Canada, he has been involved in various cultural forums and organizations. Currently Junaid is a member of the Executive Council at the All Pakistan Music Conference. His past affiliations include Sampurna, Tehrik-e-Niswan and Tehzeeb Foundation, etc.
Sultan Ghani Afzal
Sultan Ghani Afzal is the Founder of TALL MAN FILMS and a seasoned producer with cumulative experience in producing TV commercials, and digital narratives, for over a decade. Tall Man Films is known for local and global collaborations, and the content produced by them has received appreciation globally.
Farahnaz Haider Shaikh
Farahnaz Haider Shaikh is a communication specialist with over 20 years of experience in the advertising and marketing sector. A published author, Farah finds joy in teaching the craft of storytelling at leading institutions, serves as juror across comms-related forums, and leads corporate brand for a local organization.
Mo Azmi
Mo Azmi is an established name in the cinema and commercial industry in Pakistan. He has worked on some of the nation’s most acclaimed and groundbreaking narrative content; and has lensed feature films, web series, music videos, art installations, and over 100+ TV commercials for multinationals brands across diverse locations such as Pakistan, UK, US, UAE, Turkey, Thailand, Nigeria and South Korea.
Rana Kamran
Rana Kamran has carved a remarkable path, transforming himself from a wedding photographer to a feature film cinematographer and director. Throughout his impressive 25-year career, he has served as a cinematographer and director on over 300+ television advertisements,100+ music videos and 24 Films Feature and Short Films.
Farooq Mannan
From Model to Assistant Director and Director to launching his own production company, Formula Films, Farooq Mannan sure has come a long way. In his career of 24 years, he has directed over 400 TV commercials and is known for his eye for beauty and flair for glamour.
Wassay Hassan
Wassay is a seasoned Executive Producer and Director with almost 2 decades experience in leading high-impact production projects. His hands-on experience & knowledge of every aspect of the craft lends him an exceptional ability to ensure the highest quality on every detail of the projects.
Babar Sheikh
Babar Sheikh is an award-winning filmmaker, multimedia artist, musician, and academic, a graduate of the IVS (1999), and an MPhil in Art & Design (2023). Over the past two decades, he has directed numerous documentaries, music videos, ad films & short films for the Pakistani, regional, and international markets. Babar is a staunch advocate for special initiatives that foster the growth of culture, art, and education.
Rumana Husain
Rumana Husain is a Karachi-based writer, artist, and educator. She has authored two acclaimed coffee- table books: Karachiwala - a Subcontinent within a City, and Street Smart Professionals on the Street. As a co-founding Senior Editor of NuktaArt, Rumana has significantly impacted the art world. She has written and illustrated over 80 children’s books for various publishers, earning four prestigious awards in Pakistan, Nepal, and India.
Omair Alavi
Omair Alavi is a highly regarded journalist, critic and commentator, specializing in news, sports and reviews on dramas and films. With his extensive experience and keen eye for storytelling, he captivates the audience with his insightful analysis and compelling presentations. His expertise and contributions have made him a prominent figure in the media and entertainment industry.
Amber Rahim Shamsi
Amber Rahim Shamsi is an award-winning multimedia journalist, political commentator, free speech advocate, and media development expert. She is currently Pakistan editor for a Dubai-based digital media start-up. She has hosted three news and current affairs shows on mainstream Pakistani news channels, and continues to appear on international and national television channels as a political analyst. She was a bilingual reporter for the BBC World Service, where her work largely focused on human rights.
Fizza Ijaz
Fizza is a senior marketing professional at Unilever Middle East. With over 15 years of experience across South Asia and Arabia on various categories including foods, beverages, beauty and personal care, Fizza believes that every interaction & touch point with the consumer is an opportunity to build equity & brand power.