Mohammed Ali Naqvi

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Mohammed Ali Naqvi
Montréal, Canada
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania
Occupation(s)Film director, producer
Years active2003–present
Notable work
Websitemonaqvi.com/

Mohammed Ali Naqvi (

Pakistani filmmaker based in New York City.[1] He is known for documentaries which shed light on the socio political conditions of Pakistan, and feature strong characters on personal journeys of self-discovery.[2] Notable films include Insha’Allah Democracy (2017), Among the Believers
(2015), Shame (2007), and Terror’s Children (2003).

Early life and background

Naqvi was born in Montreal, Canada, and spent his early years between Canada, Pakistan and the US.[1] After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001, and theatre training from the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Naqvi founded B.L.A.H Productions, an off-off-Broadway theatre company in New York, for which he produced, directed and acted in a number of plays.[3]

Career

In 2003, Naqvi produced Terror’s Children (Discovery Channel) in collaboration with Pakistani Emmy-Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.[4][5] The film portrays young Afghan refugees living in Pakistan post 9/11 in refugee camps and extreme poverty mediated only by the madrassa school network which provides basic necessities in return for hardline militant religious schooling.[6] The film won the Overseas Press Club Award: The Carl Spielvogel Award in 2004 and the South Asian Journalist Award in 2004.[7]

In 2005, Naqvi produced Big River which was directed by

Pusan International Film Festival (2005), where it was also nominated for the New Currents Award.[10][11]

In 2006, Naqvi wrote, produced and directed Shame (

Emmy Award (2008), the Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award (2007), and the Women in Leadership Award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (2007).[15][16][17][18]

In 2012, Naqvi directed Shabeena’s Quest (Al-Jazeera) with Hemal Trivedi. The film features the story of Shabeena, a remarkable school principal fighting for the right of girls to be educated despite age-old traditions leading to early marriages.[19]

In 2014, Naqvi directed Pakistan’s Hidden Shame (

Sheffield Doc/Fest (2014), and won Best Documentary at the United Nations Association Film Festival (2014).[22]

In 2015, Naqvi directed

tolerant and progressive values. These differing ideologies play out in the state sanctioned vacuum of educational and financial infrastructure in poverty stricken villages of Pakistan, which the Red Mosque is quick to fill in exchange for young recruits.[26]

The film has its US premiere at

Tribeca Film Festival on April 17, 2015.[27] It has since won many awards, including Best Feature at the ALBA Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Best of Fest at Chagrin Documentary Film Festival (2017), Best Documentary at Hollywood Film Festival (2015), Best International Documentary at Oaxaca FilmFest (2015), and more.[28][29][30][31][32]

In April 2016, the Central Board of Film Censors banned Among the Believers from being screened in Pakistan, giving the reason that it “projects the negative image of Pakistan in the context of ongoing fight against extremism terrorism.”[33] Both Naqvi and co-director Hemal Trivedi received death threats after the release of the film, forcing them to go into hiding for a period of time.[34][35]

In 2017, Naqvi directed, wrote, and produced Insha’Allah Democracy with producer Jared Ian Goldman.[36] The documentary follows the controversial former military dictator of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, as he returns to Pakistan to contest in the 2013 Pakistani general election. Naqvi himself features prominently in the film, as a citizen voting in the country’s general elections for the first time. As a member of the Shia minority, Naqvi is attracted to Musharraf’s secular stance and past crackdowns on sectarian violence. The film examines the contradictions and complexities of a nascent democratic process in a country recovering from a long history of military rule.[37]

The film had its world premiere at Sheffield Doc/Fest (2017), where it was nominated for the Tim Hetherington Award.

DOC NYC (2017), IDFA (2017), FIPA (2018), Human Rights Watch Film Festival (2018), and the UK Asian Film Festival (2018).[39][40][41][42][43]

Pakistani activists in the UK called for the film to be banned from its London premiere at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival (2018), claiming that the film "legitimises and glorifies military dictatorial rules and undermines civilian/parliament supremacy.”[44] In response the Human Rights Watch released a statement saying that the film was chosen because of its criticism of military rule.[45]

Naqvi’s next film, The Accused: Damned or Devoted?, which he directed and produced, was released in 2020.[46] The film follows the rise of the cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi as he pushes to preserve Pakistan’s blasphemy laws by rallying millions of supporters, running for elections, and silencing those attempting to change the law by condemning them to death. It also follows Asia Bibi, a Christian woman falsely accused of blasphemy, as well as activist Gulalai Ismail as she is falsely accused of blasphemy.[47][46]

When he was initially approached to make a film about the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, Naqvi refused because of the potential security risk.[48] Naqvi did eventually make the film, and has said that it is “the most dangerous film” he has worked on.[49]

The film won Best Investigation at the Asian Media Awards (2020).[50] It was a runner-up in the Feature Documentary category at the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal (2020).[51] It was also nominated for the CPH: DOX F:ACT Award (2020),[52] and in the International Affairs Documentary category for the AIB Media Excellence awards (2020).[53]

Filmography

Year Title Director Producer Writer
2003 Terror's Children Yes
2005 Big River Yes
2006 Shame Yes Yes Yes
2012 Shabeena's Quest Yes
2014 Pakistan's Hidden Shame Yes
2015 Among the Believers Yes
2017 Insha'Allah Democracy Yes Yes Yes
2020 The Accused: Damned or Devoted? Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2004 Overseas Press Club Award The Carl Spielvogel Award[7] Terror's Children Won
South Asian Journalist Award Won
2005
Pusan International Film Festival
 New Currents Award[54] Big River Nominated
2007 EBS International Documentary Festival Korea Special Jury Prize[55] Shame Won
Chicago Documentary Festival Human Rights Award Won
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Women in Leadership Award[56] Won
Durban International Film Festival Amnesty International Award[17][18] Won
2008 Television Academy Honor Special Emmy Award[57] Won
San Diego Asian Film Festival Best Documentary[58] Won
2014 United Nations Association Film Festival Best Documentary[59] Pakistan's Hidden Shame Won
2015 One World Media Annual Television Award[60] Nominated
Broadcast Awards Best News Coverage or Current Affairs Program[61][62] Nominated
Asia Pacific Screen Awards Best Documentary[63] Among the Believers Nominated
International Film Festival of India UNESCO/FELLINI Prize[64] Nominated
ALBA Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Best Feature[29] Won
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival David Ponce Award for Best Film[30] Won
CPH:DOX
 F:ACT Award Jury Prize[65] Won
Tasveer Seattle South Asian Film Festival Best Documentary and Audience Choice Prize[66] Won
Oaxaca FilmFest Best International Documentary[32] Won
Hollywood Film Festival Best Feature Documentary[31] Won
2016
Film Independent Spirit Award
 Truer Than Fiction Award[67] Nominated
Beloit International Film Festival Power of Film Award[68] Won
Documentary Edge Festival
 Best International Feature (Special Mention) and Best International Director[69] Won
FIFDH Grand Prix[70] Won
San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival Amnesty International Prize[71] Won
SOMA Film Festival Documentary Feature, Best Director[72] Won
Accolade Competition Award of Merit, Documentary Feature[73] Special Mention
2017
News & Documentary Emmy Award
 Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary[74] Nominated
Cinema Eye Honors Spotlight Award[75] Nominated
Impact Docs Awards Awards of Merit, Documentary Feature[76] Won
Sheffield Doc/Fest
 Tim Hetherington Award[77] Insha'Allah Democracy Nominated
2018 Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival Courage in Filmmaking Award[78] Won
FIPA Best International Documentary, Youth Jury Award[79] Nominated
2019 Accolade Competition Awards of Recognition: Documentary Feature, Islamic[80] Won
One World Media Feature Documentary Award[81] Nominated
2020
CPH:DOX
 F:ACT Award[52] The Accused: Damned or Devoted? Nominated
AIB Media Excellence Awards
 International Affairs Documentary[53] Nominated
South Asian Film Festival of Montréal Feature Documentary[51] Runner-up
Asian Media Awards Best Investigation[50] Won

External links

References

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  3. ^ "Crew — Insha'Allah Democracy". Insha'Allah Democracy. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Terror's Children". IMDb.com. 25 March 2003.
  5. ISBN 9781317503392
    – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Rohde, David (7 March 2003). "A Dead End for Afghan Children Adrift in Pakistan". Nytimes.com.
  7. ^ a b "Awards Recipients". Overseas Press Club of America. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Big River". IMDb.com. 20 January 2006.
  9. ^ "Big River: A tale of ethnicity and friendship – The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 10 September 2012.
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