Bahrain-based Baloch filmmaker and artist, Jaan al Balushi, has won another prestigious award for his film “Zaraab” (“The Heat”) in an international film and photography competition.
The talented 39-year-old filmmaker’s one-hour film, Zaraab, which portrays the lives of four individuals from a struggling family in Gwadar, secured the Best Film category in the International Exposure competition held in the United Arab Emirates.
It is noteworthy that “Zaraab” marks a historic milestone in the 40-year history of the Balochi film industry as the first Balochi film to be screened in international cinemas across various countries, including the United States, Canada, India, and the Gulf. The film has received widespread appreciation from audiences of diverse nationalities, in addition to Baloch and Arab viewers.
In addition, “Zaraab” has been featured in several top international film festivals, such as the Caribbean Sea International Festival in Nueva Esparta, the Los Angeles CineFest, the New Haven International Film Festival, the Pakistan International Film Festival Karachi, and the Bahrain Cinema Club Competition, where it garnered numerous awards. Notably, it was nominated for Best Film at the Pakistan International Film Festival Karachi and won the Best Film award at the Bahrain Cinema Competition.
The film was produced under the banner of Jaan Click Media from Bahrain in association with Balm Films Production in Gwadar. Directed by Jaan Al Balushi, the film features prominent Baloch actors such as Anwar Sahib Khan, Shah Nawaz Shah, Ahsan Danish, and Aqib Asif.
“Zaraab” portrays the hopes, aspirations, and anxieties of locals in Gwadar, a city touted for its promising future. The story offers a glimpse into the life of a family, addressing critical issues such as unemployment, poverty, and child labor. It depicts a father striving to make ends meet, his disabled elder son, and his younger son who works in a garage after school. Meanwhile, another brother, who is unemployed, falls into the hands of mafia and drug dealers and is killed.
Additionally, the film highlights the impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the region’s culture. It features discussions about the importance of languages, where a student’s request for Balochi lessons from a teacher who is government-paid to teach English. The matter gets trivialized further when the teacher is requested to teach Chinese as it will guarantee a better future for the students.