Pakistani actress Amtul Baweja, the lead in the short film ‘Solatia,’ has expressed her excitement as the project secures a place in the Red Sea Film Festival scheduled to begin in Jeddah next month.
‘Solatia’ is one of just two Pakistani short films, out of a total of 14 entries, to be featured in the Red Sea: Shorts Competition at the festival’s third edition, happening from November 30 to December 9.
This Pakistani short film, directed by a female filmmaker and co-produced by another, will compete with entries from Germany, Indonesia, the US, Iran, and South Africa at the festival.
Baweja shared her excitement, saying, “I’m very, very excited because it happens to be our first submission. And of course, getting selected on your first submission is, I think, a win in itself.”
She described the Red Sea Film Festival as one of the most prestigious in the world, and winning for the short film would be “unbelievable.”
‘Solatia’ is a female-led drama directed by Pakistani filmmaker Hira Yousafzai and co-produced by Hirra Farooqi. The film revolves around the main character, Zamda, portrayed by Baweja, who resides in a shelter with other displaced persons. Zamda, in her despair, spends her time looking through old photos of her missing husband as she longs for his companionship.
Despite losing everything, Zamda is a strong and resilient character, according to Baweja, who explained, “You can see from the start that Zamda is a very, very strong woman. She’s not afraid to stand up for what’s right.”
Hirra Farooqi mentioned that the film intentionally incorporates themes of love, loss, resilience, and hope, especially in the context of displacement. She emphasized that in most films, women are often portrayed as waiting for a “significant other” or their partner to save them, but Zamda’s character is compelling and different in this context.
Baweja expressed her enthusiasm for the project, not only because of its captivating narrative but also because it was directed and produced by women. She added, “As soon as I read the script, I was like, ‘Okay, I need to do this, I need to make this happen. I want to do this.’ And I think wherever this film will be played, people will relate to it.”
The Red Sea Film Festival provides an opportunity for Baweja to meet and interact with filmmakers and artists from Saudi Arabia and various parts of the world.
