Independence Day
Pakistan’s two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is once again using her platform to spotlight pressing social issues through the transformative power of storytelling.
Known globally for her bold documentaries and social impact films, Chinoy is now launching a new initiative under her production house, SOC Films, aimed at highlighting the invaluable yet often overlooked work of grassroots organizations across Pakistan.
Titled Frame It Forward, this storytelling campaign invites nonprofit and community-based organizations to share their missions, challenges, and achievements with the goal of elevating their voices through film.
The initiative is part of Chinoy’s ongoing commitment to amplifying stories that spark change, and to ensure that impactful efforts happening at the heart of Pakistani communities are seen, heard, and celebrated.
“Too often, vital work being done in the heart of our communities goes unseen simply because it isn’t being told,” Chinoy said while announcing the project.
Through Frame It Forward, she aims to turn the lens toward these unsung heroes and the causes they champion — whether in education, healthcare, gender equality, climate action, refugee assistance, wildlife preservation, or children’s rights.
The application process is open until July 25 and welcomes submissions from organizations nationwide. One selected organization will be given the unique opportunity to have a professionally produced short film made about its work — entirely free of cost.
This short documentary will be released to the public on August 14, aligning with Pakistan’s Independence Day, as a tribute to the spirit of resilience, unity, and progress within the nation.
The campaign underscores Chinoy’s belief in storytelling as a tool for empowerment and collective awareness. Her previous initiatives reflect this ethos.
Most recently, her Her Earth Advocates program supported 10 women filmmakers from across Pakistan who created five compelling short films documenting the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.
Similarly, her collaborations with organizations such as ChildLife Foundation, the Karachi Down Syndrome Program (KDSP), and the Indus Hospital have produced no-cost, high-impact films that amplified critical social issues.
With Frame It Forward, SOC Films continues to champion the stories that matter — the stories that often go untold — by giving grassroots organizations a voice through high-quality visual storytelling.
All nonprofits are encouraged to apply and seize this rare opportunity to broaden their outreach and inspire audiences both in Pakistan and beyond.
