Good Morning Pakistan

A second generation Pakistani-American arrives in a small Pakistani town, Chakwal in an attempt to connect to his heritage. He confronts a beautiful country facing deep injustice when he meets a transgender man. His life changes forever when he falls in love with a gypsy woman.

  • Hassan Zee
    Director
    Night of Henna, Bicycle Bride, House of Temptation, My First Kiss
  • Hassan Zee
    Writer
    Night of Henna, Bicycle Bride
  • Hassan Zee
    Producer
    Night of Henna, Bicyle Bride, House of Temptation
  • Lawrence Dillon
    Producer
    Night of Henna, Bicyle Bride
  • Naghma
    Key Cast
    "Grandma"
    200 films on her credit as Filmstar
  • Ali Raza
    Key Cast
    "Omar"
    Pakistani Dramas and Films
  • Meerab Khan
    Key Cast
    "Diya"
    Pakistani Dramas and Films
  • Saeed Anwar
    Key Cast
    "Happy Heart"
    Pakistani Dramas and Films
  • Shabbir Mirza
    Key Cast
    "Grandpa Captain"
    Pakistani Dramas and Films
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    LGBT, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Gender Identity
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 58 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 30, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Pakistan
  • Language:
    Urdu
  • Shooting Format:
    Black Magic Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Hassan Zee

Award Winning Director:

"House of Temptation"-* Award: "Best Supporting Actor 2014"-SF Best Actors Film Festival

"Bicycle Bride" a film by Dr. Hassan Zee.
* Award; "Best Feature Film Award", South Appalachian Film Festival.
* Award; "Best Bay Area Director," Vacaville Film Festival.
* Award; "Best Director", Modesto Bollywood Film Festival.

Zee's Bio:
Medical doctor/ filmmaker, Zee graduated from medical school at the age of 26. After only a year of practice he was appointed the Resident Physician at a Hospital Burn Unit in the Pakistan countryside. Dr. Zee soon found that many of his burn patients had tragically set fire to themselves to avoid punishment by hostile in-laws, a common practice for non-childbearing women or wives with low dowry. Per Zee, women would die in his ward everyday and that is what shifted his focus. He was determined to find a way to help these vulnerable women. Zee came to USA 12 years ago and started to persue his passion of filmmaking. Human Empowerment was Zee's inspiration for his film, Bicycle Bride. It was released theatrically and got worldwide distribution through Cinema Arts Entertainment in France.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement


'Salam Pakistan' is my fourth feature film. This story is very personal to me. When I was child, I saw a transgender man coming to our house and begging for money. My mom will give him money because in Pakistan, nobody wants to give jobs to transgenders (hijras). Hijras dance in the streets and beg for money. They usually try to find households with new born boys and they sing songs and dance in those houses and that way they collect money and flour to live. Children throw stones at them and they face sexual violence every day. They are considered the lowest category of society. The character of 'Happy Heart" speaks about life of Hijras in Pakistan and tells Omar all about what hijras go through in life.
Through his journey to Pakistan, a second generation American- Pakistani man, Omar confronts social injustice and cultural rifts at every turn. From acid attacks to civil rights conflicts to superstitions steeped in sexism, Omar struggles to contextualize Pakistan—an old country facing new ideas.

Omar reconnects with his native heritage and builds a newfound appreciation and empathy for the immense history in Chakwal, as well as the people who live there. He learns of hardship, but also finds beauty, and ultimately decides to focus on driving progress.