Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s SOC Films is looking for a meaningful story to highlight this Aug 14

Pakistan’s two-time Academy Award winner is at it again, stirring meaningful conversations and raising awareness! Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, one of Pakistan’s most celebrated filmmakers, is highlighting critical social issues in Pakistan by supporting organisations working on these issues.

Chinoy, the founder and CEO of SOC Films, is launching Frame It Forward, a storytelling campaign meant to highlight the impactful, yet overlooked, work done by grassroots projects and nonprofit organisations in the country. “Too often, vital work being done in the heart of our communities goes unseen simply because it isn’t being told,” she said.

This project is her “commitment to community”, and she hopes to use “the power of film to help elevate voices that deserve to be heard”.

An open application system is available till July 25, and all organisations are welcome to apply. One selected organisation will have the opportunity to witness its mission reach audiences through a professionally produced short film completely free of cost.

The purpose is to highlight real people, stories and visions that drive meaningful change across Pakistan in fields such as education, climate, wildlife, refugee assistance, children’s rights, community health, and gender equality. The film will release publicly this August 14 in an effort to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day with a story about its resilience.

Chinoy’s work is a standout on forums about pressing social issues; a recent venture of hers is the Her Earth Advocates programme. It included 10 female filmmakers from different regions of Pakistan who made five films about the impact of climate change on Pakistan and its vulnerable communities.

The award-winning filmmaker has also previously collaborated with organisations like ChildLife Foundation, KDSP, and the Indus Hospital to create no-cost documentaries and hopes to expand this purpose with Frame It Forward. Nonprofits across the nation are encouraged to apply and avail this opportunity to spread their social narratives to wider audiences through high-quality, visual storytelling.