LAHORE – Pakistan’s film industry earned international acclaim at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival 2025, as two Pakistani films, Deemak and Nayab, received top honors at the prestigious event held in Yangzhou, China.
The five-day festival concluded with Deemak winning the Best Editing Award, while Nayab secured the Special Jury Award, marking a significant moment for Pakistani cinema on the global stage.
Director Rafiq Rashdi and actress Sonya Hussyn accepted the Best Editing award on behalf of Deemak while Nayab’s director Umair Nasir Ali and lead actor Usama Khan received the Special Jury Award.
A high-profile Pakistani delegation attended the festival, comprising Shehzad Rafique, Chairman of the Pakistan Film Producers Association and jury member; prominent film distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla; Irfan Malik; Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar; Director General DEMP Samina Farzeen; Manzoor Ali from the Pakistani Embassy in China; Nayab’s producer Romina Umair; Nauman Khan; and actor Usama Khan.
Deemak stars renowned actors Faisal Qureshi, Sonya Hussyn, and Samina Peerzada in lead roles, while Nayab features Yumna Zaidi and Usama Khan.