Overview
The Pakistan International Film Festival (PIFF) is Pakistan's largest and most established film platform. Organized by the Karachi Film Society (KFS), a non-profit founded in 2017 by Sultana Siddiqui, PIFF takes place annually in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and financial capital. The festival screens Pakistani cinema alongside international programming, with a focus on workshops, seminars, and film screenings that connect Pakistani filmmakers with global audiences.
PIFF 2025 was held June 19 to 22, 2025, across multiple venues in Karachi including the Karachi Film School in Korangi and Ocean Mall Cinepax. The festival opened with a World Intellectual Property Day program in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) Pakistan and the Collective Organization for Music Rights in Pakistan (COMP). The four-day program included German film screenings in partnership with the Goethe-Institut, student hours, and the premiere of HunDan - An Echo of a Dirge (2025), the first feature-length film in the Burushaski language, set in the Hunza Valley.
A newer addition to Karachi's festival landscape is the My Karachi Film Festival (MKFF), organized by the digital platform myco. Its inaugural edition ran January 31 to February 1, 2026, at Frere Hall in Karachi, screening 34 films across competition, special screening, student film, and Stories from Quetta sections. MKFF also ran a 20-day online edition for wider access. Tickets were free, available through online registration at mykarachifilmfestival.com.
Pakistan has a modest but growing independent cinema culture. The country's film industry, historically centered in Lahore (Lollywood), has seen increasing international attention in recent years. Karachi's cosmopolitan character and its role as Pakistan's commercial and cultural capital make it the natural home for international-facing festival programming.
Key Sections
PIFF sections:
- Film Screenings - Pakistani and international films, including German film screenings in partnership with the Goethe-Institut
- Workshops and Seminars - industry panels on intellectual property, filmmaking craft, and climate storytelling. The 2025 edition featured a Special Effects Makeup workshop with international experts from Turkey
- Student Hours - dedicated screening slots for university students, with participation from multiple Karachi universities
- World Intellectual Property Day Program - a signature PIFF event commemorating WIPO Day, with panels on copyright, music rights, and creative industries
- Premiere Screenings - festival premieres of Pakistani films. The 2025 edition premiered HunDan, a climate-themed feature in the Burushaski language directed by a debut regional filmmaker
MKFF sections (2026 inaugural edition):
- Main Competition - international open call submissions. The 2026 competition included On the Mountain by Ayan Raza and The Buraq That Can't Fly by Zeed
- Special Screening - four films from different countries. Opened with the world premiere of Dance With Me by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Safa
- Stories from Quetta - films from the Quetta Film Lab, a community initiative powered by myco that selected 20 filmmakers in Quetta, producing 10 quality films
- Student Films - short films by student filmmakers, including The Masoom Theatre, Yezzi, and Mehman
- Panel Talks - industry discussions with filmmakers including Haya Fatima Iqbal and Syra Yousuf
Submission Details
PIFF does not currently operate a standard FilmFreeway submission portal. The festival programs through partnerships with cultural institutions (Goethe-Institut, IPO Pakistan) and through direct filmmaker outreach. Filmmakers interested in screening at PIFF should contact the Karachi Film Society through piffestival.org.
MKFF operates an open call for submissions through mykarachifilmfestival.com. The inaugural 2026 edition had an open call starting December 30, 2025, accepting submissions from both experienced and student filmmakers. There is no entry fee.
Festival History
The Karachi Film Society was founded in 2017 by Sultana Siddiqui, a media executive and founder of HUM Network. PIFF launched as the society's flagship initiative, with its first major edition in 2018. The festival has run annually with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PIFF 2018 screened films across 6 venues in Karachi, including community halls in Malir and Moach Goth, as part of a mobile screening initiative that brought films to marginalized communities.
PIFF has evolved from a purely screening-based festival to one that integrates intellectual property awareness, climate storytelling, and international cultural exchange. The partnership with the Goethe-Institut, established in recent editions, brings German cinema to Pakistani audiences and creates filmmaker exchange opportunities. The 2025 edition's premiere of HunDan, the first Burushaski-language feature film, demonstrated PIFF's role in supporting regional language cinema in Pakistan.
The My Karachi Film Festival launched in 2026 as a complementary platform with a focus on independent filmmakers and student work. Organized by myco and held at Frere Hall, a historic colonial-era landmark in central Karachi, MKFF screened 34 films in its inaugural edition. The festival was supported by the Culture Department of the Government of Sindh and attracted an audience that included both industry professionals and general public.
Past Winners
PIFF has run competitive awards in select editions. The most recent documented competition awards are from 2018 and 2025.
PIFF 2025 awards:
- Best Short Film: Janjaal (Tussle) (2024), directed by Syed Asad Raza Abidi. The 24-minute Urdu psychological thriller about a cursed golden pocket watch won 14 international awards across 9 countries. It received a theatrical release at Arena Cinemas, Karachi in January 2025. The film also won Best Short Film at the Toronto Fantasy/Sci-Fi Film Festival 2026 and the Gandhara Independent Film Festival.
PIFF 2018 awards:
- Best Film: Punjab Nahi Jaungi - Directed by Nadeem Baig. The film was a major Pakistani box office hit, earning approximately PKR 250 million domestically.
- Best Director: Nadeem Baig for Punjab Nahi Jaungi
- Best Feature: Lala Begum by Mehreen Jabbar
- Best Documentary Feature: Perween Rahman - The Rebel Optimist
- Best Short Film: Aghai Naz
- Best Documentary Short: Veil Done
- Special Award: Ali Zafar - Artist for Peace
MKFF 2026 jury awards (inaugural edition):
The jury consisted of Jamshed Mahmood Raza (Jami), Asghar Ali Ghanchi, and Phil McKenzie. Awards were given for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, and Best Student Film.
Notable Alumni Films
- *HunDan - An Echo of a Dirge* (2025) - Directed by Karamat Ali. Premiered at PIFF 2025 on June 21, 2025. The 63-minute film is the first feature-length film in the Burushaski language, a UNESCO-recognized endangered language spoken by approximately 50,000 people in northern Pakistan. Rockwood Production produced the film in association with Hum Films, which distributed it theatrically in Pakistan on September 16, 2025. UNESCO supported the film's premiere screening on International Mother Earth Day 2025.
- Janjaal (Tussle) (2024) - Directed by Syed Asad Raza Abidi. Won Best Short Film at PIFF 2025. The film has earned 14 international awards across 9 countries, including wins at the Toronto Fantasy/Sci-Fi Film Festival, Gandhara Independent Film Festival, Kolkata International Short Film Festival, and Indus Film Festival. It received a theatrical release at Arena Cinemas, Karachi in January 2025. Cinegma Films produced the film entirely in-house.
- *Joon* (2024) - Directed by Babur Ali. Screened at PIFF 2025. The film features Saleem Mairaj as a gangster and Ashir Wajahat as a street sweeper entangled in crime. The film received strong audience interest at its PIFF screening.
- *Punjab Nahi Jaungi* (2017) - Won Best Film at PIFF 2018. The film was one of the highest-grossing Pakistani films of its year, earning approximately PKR 250 million at the domestic box office.
Submission Tips
- PIFF does not operate a standard FilmFreeway submission portal. Contact the Karachi Film Society directly through piffestival.org to inquire about screening opportunities.
- PIFF programs through partnerships with cultural institutions like the Goethe-Institut and IPO Pakistan. Films with international co-production or cultural exchange angles may interest programmers.
- MKFF operates an open call through mykarachifilmfestival.com with no entry fee. This is the most accessible submission route for emerging Pakistani filmmakers.
- PIFF values films that address Pakistani social issues, regional languages, or climate themes. The 2025 edition premiered HunDan, a climate-themed film in the endangered Burushaski language.
- MKFF accepts both experienced and student filmmakers. The Stories from Quetta section highlights regional filmmaking from Balochistan, so filmmakers from underrepresented areas of Pakistan should submit.
- Be aware of Pakistan's content review processes. The Central Board of Film Censors applies to theatrical releases, though festival screenings typically operate with more flexibility.
- PIFF's board includes industry decision-makers like Sultana Siddiqui (HUM Network founder) and Sharmeen Oboid-Chinoy (two-time Oscar winner). Screening at PIFF can create connections with Pakistani media industry leaders.
Industry Reputation Notes
PIFF is Pakistan's largest and most established film platform. The festival has government backing from the Sindh Government, which provides stability rare in Pakistan's film sector. However, PIFF does not operate as an international film market or acquisitions platform.
Compared to the Jaipur International Film Festival (India) or the Dharamshala International Film Festival (India), PIFF has a stronger focus on Pakistani cinema and domestic industry development. Indian festivals attract more international buyers and sales agents due to India's larger film market. PIFF draws primarily Pakistani filmmakers, cultural institutions, and domestic media industry professionals.
Compared to the Busan International Film Festival (South Korea), which operates a full industry market (Asian Project Market), PIFF has minimal industry infrastructure. PIFF's value lies in its domestic platform for Pakistani filmmakers, its intellectual property awareness programming, and its cultural exchange partnerships with institutions like the Goethe-Institut.
MKFF, the newer addition to Karachi's festival landscape, offers a different value proposition. Its free admission policy and connection to myco, a digital streaming platform, provide filmmakers with potential digital distribution alongside the physical festival screening. The 20-day online edition extends reach beyond Karachi to a national audience.
For Pakistani filmmakers, PIFF is the most important domestic international platform. For international filmmakers, PIFF offers access to Pakistani audiences and cultural exchange opportunities, but limited industry deal-making potential.
See Also
To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For South Asian cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For the My Karachi Film Festival, visit mykarachifilmfestival.com.
