New Wave Pakistan at Cannes 2025: Crescent Collective Champions Bold, Global Pakistani Cinema
In 2025, Pakistani moviemakers were at the heart of celebrations at the Cannes Film Festival as the Crescent Collective returned ready to impress with strong stories. With “New Wave Pakistan: Telling Global Stories, Rooted at Home” as their theme, this year’s panel saw artists at the American Pavilion boldly declare a new era in Pakistani culture.
Influential figures gathered at the panel who are both reshaping the Pakistani film industry and showing that local stories interest audiences both locally and internationally.
The Crescent Collective: A Platform for Authentic Narratives
Introduced by Mo Naqvi, a world-known filmmaker and leader of the Crescent Collective, the talk began with a passionate statement.
For too many years, Western perspectives were the main way stories about the Middle East were portrayed: terrorism, people’s difficult lives, and hardship. We’re able to express our happiness, pain and romance on our own terms, at last.
The change is best seen in his recent film titled Hanging By A Wire. Unlike in those documentaries, this time, it’s an energetic thriller made to appeal to audiences all over the world. Naqvi believes that making a genre shift is a challenge to old representations and ensures that tradition can be enjoyed by audiences everywhere.
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Courageous Storytelling: Filmmaking as Defiance
Participants were told that sharing personal experiences can be a powerful way of resisting. Fawzia Mirza, the creator of Queen of My Dreams, discussed openly how much her work means to her.
For years, I directed films and didn’t hope for much applause. I knew from the start that sharing these stories about loving myself would put me even more into the line of fire,” she explained.
Like the others on the panel, she pointed out that vulnerability in making films is actually a powerful approach.
Karmash: A Pakistani First at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight
Filmmakers Aleem Bukhari and Irfan Noor King made Pakistani filmmaking history by having their short film, Karmash, selected for the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The filmmakers said that awards were not something they focused on when making the film.
You might create a film for yourself or for a group you believe in, and that’s what’s most important to the filmmaker. It’s not something you think about when making your film.
You can see from their accomplishments that being true to themselves results in real recognition.
Breaking Boxes: The Vision of Hammad Khan
The experienced filmmaker Hammad Khan, most famous for Slackistan, added his thoughts based on the experience of making his surrealist film Anima State. He stressed that exploring out-of-bounds ideas is far from a way to satisfy authorities.
Overcoming resistance against unusual data took a lot of work back then. This is why now I think—don’t focus on the audience, and feel free to make it your own way. That’s the only way to achieve change—by ignoring the need for permission.
Global Spotlight on Joyland’s Saim Sadiq
Director Saim Sadiq, whose film Joyland recently won an award, was a much-discussed voice on the panel. Last week, his recent film project, Little Men, earned the Baumi Script Development Award, chosen by Oscar-winner Edward Berger.
In 2022, Joyland won Pakistan its first Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. Little Men is sure to help Pakistani cinema make a stronger impact on the world audience. Because of his constant acclaim worldwide, Sadiq is recognized as a forerunner for inventive and inclusive cinema from South Asia.
Corporate Support for Cultural Innovation
Bringing this panel together would not have been possible without the support of presenting sponsor EBM. According to Shahzain Munir, Executive Director at EBM, the brand has consistently celebrated Pakistan and its unique stories.
At EBM, we focus on telling local stories that give Pakistanis pride and highlight the country’s progress internationally.
EBM helps more than just with sponsorship; it is a key element in moving cultural growth forward.
The Future is Now: A New Narrative for Pakistani Cinema
After the Crescent Collective’s mark at Cannes, Pakistan has made its way inside world cinema. They do not only produce movies; they also affect how Pakistan is seen across the world.
It does not stop at just making films. It looks at identity, a unique voice and the importance of being seen. With Karmash’s and Joyland’s achievements, New Wave Pakistan is making it so Pakistani stories are noticed and celebrated.
