Khaak
“Khaak” is a 10-minute documentary that delves the viewer into the changing world of agriculture and its inter-generational conflicts. It unfolds in the rural villages surrounding Lahore and Sargodha in Punjab, Pakistan, contrasting the traditional bond of seasoned farmers with their land with the modern, educated young mindset of the offspring, who now inherit the land. Khaak aims to show the contrast between the old and new mindsets in a rapidly changing society. The old generation has an emotional bond with the earth, while the younger lump it as a commodity against Pakistan's ever-increasing housing and urbanization schemes. Rooted in the soil yet aspiring for progress, Khaak reflects identity, resilience, and the fragile balance of preserving old heritage and embracing change.
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Mohsin SiddiquiDirector
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Mohsin SiddiquiWriter
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Mohsin SiddiquiProducer
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Ezn JafferyDirector of Photography
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Maaz Ahmed Shaikh2nd Unit DOP
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Asadullah KhanEditor
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Project Type:Documentary, Short, Student
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Runtime:10 minutes 21 seconds
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Completion Date:December 19, 2024
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Production Budget:150 USD
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Country of Origin:Pakistan
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Country of Filming:Pakistan
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Language:Panjabi, Urdu
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Shooting Format:Canon 200D, 6D. 18-55mm, 50mm
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Aspect Ratio:2
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes - National College of Arts (NCA)
Mohsin Siddiqui, born in Hyderabad, Pakistan, is an aspiring filmmaker and storyteller pursuing a bachelor's degree in film and television from the National College of Arts, Lahore. Starting with album cover arts and music visualizers, he created 3D anamorphic billboards that would be displayed internationally, including Times Square, NYC, and the Middle East. With a love for raw truths, his films are a poetic narrative combined with observational realism that highlights the feelings about identity, resilience, and social change.
Using interviews and poetic observation, I intended to capture the beauty, resilience, and struggles of farmers caught between tradition and progress. Khaak is more than a documentary about agriculture. Khaak is a stark reminder on heritage, identity, and inevitable change as time marches on. This would, hopefully, make viewers reflect on their own relationship with progress and preservation.