Pakistani Women Directors Shine at Toronto International Film Festival

Toronto — The 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) rolled out its red carpet with dazzling premieres and star-studded appearances, from Keanu Reeves and Angelina Jolie to Guillermo del Toro and Riz Ahmed. But amid the global spotlight, two Pakistani women directors — Seemab Gul and Sana Jafri — made their mark with films that drew sold-out audiences and critical acclaim.

Gul’s debut feature Ghost School and Jafri’s short Permanent Guest premiered at TIFF, continuing Pakistan’s rising presence at the festival following Saim Sadiq’s Joyland in 2022 and Fawzia Mirza’s The Queen of My Dreams in 2023. Both projects were led by female directors and teams that navigated challenges of funding, production, and representation to bring their stories to the global stage.

Seemab Gul and the “Ghost School”
Ghost School tells the story of Rabia, a 10-year-old girl in a fishing village who returns from summer break to find her school closed and abandoned. Through Rabia’s encounters with villagers — a teacher, fruit seller, landlord and others — the film layers a child’s innocence with the harsh realities of systemic neglect and corruption.

The film sold out its premiere at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre, where Gul’s observational style and the lyrical cinematography of Zamarin Wahdat won over audiences. Critics highlighted the evocative use of Allama Iqbal’s poem Lab pe aati hai dua as one of the film’s most moving moments.

The film, shot on a tight budget and later supported by international post-production grants, reflects Gul’s independent spirit. “I had the freedom to tell the story without executives dictating tone — this is rare,” she said.

Sana Jafri and the “Permanent Guest”
Jafri’s Permanent Guest, screening in TIFF’s Short Cuts section, marks only the third Pakistani short in the programme’s 50-year history. Starring Rasti Farooq (Joyland) and veteran actor Salman Shahid, the 14-minute film explores trauma as an unwanted but lasting “guest” in a woman’s life.

Made through crowdfunding, the film’s intimate camerawork and restrained storytelling were praised by festival audiences. “Festivals like TIFF allow us to tell stories that wouldn’t fit the mould of television dramas or commercial cinema back home,” Jafri reflected.

Pakistan on the Global Stage
Both films highlight the growing role of Pakistani women filmmakers in shaping cinema. Their work follows a path carved by earlier names such as Jami, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Sarmad Khoosat and Saim Sadiq, expanding the country’s international footprint.

As TIFF showcased more than 200 films from 75 countries, Pakistan’s contribution was marked by two deeply personal and socially resonant stories. Ghost School and Permanent Guest not only celebrated independent voices but also signalled the persistence of a new wave of Pakistani cinema eager to be seen on the world stage.