Smile

A story about a man who has dealt with trauma in his childhood that has brought his life to a standstill.

  • Ahsan Minhas
    Director
  • Ahsan Minhas
    Writer
  • Ahsan Minhas
    Producer
  • Saad Khalid
    Key Cast
  • Areeba Chishti
    Key Cast
  • Nouman Qureshi
    Key Cast
  • Imaad Athar
    Key Cast
  • Salman Shahzad
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    drama
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 15, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Saudi Arabia
  • Country of Filming:
    Pakistan
  • Language:
    Urdu
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ahsan Minhas

Ahsan Minhas (26) from Pakistan, fell in love with the world of cinema since the age of 9 where he fell in love with the experience of going to the films where for many it didn't even exist.

How films were created was the curiosity that started the journey since he watched his first film Jurassic Park.

He started to create films since the age of 12 and gradually indulged in more projects and learned the art of filmmaking through experience in London, UK with LSF Short-Film Group at the age of 19 for a year.

He has successfully achieved a qualification from New York Film Academy in Film Production and is determined to one day create a lasting impact in the media industry of Pakistan & Saudi Arabia.

Ahsan's style of work was always inspired by observing the work of one of the great filmmakers of our times such as Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick & Francis Ford Coppola yet trying to create his own ways to reach out into the story through the visual art of filmmaking.

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Director Statement

This film has taken my mind, heart, and soul to make. Ever since I wanted to do a piece of storytelling on the concept of mental health I instantly jumped on some very jumbled up loglines that I managed to connect with each other to make this one short-film that consisted of the concept of loss, time, memories, and childhood.

I am truly proud to have made this short-film on a very taboo subject in Pakistan which is surprising to know that it is not even considered real, more awareness is needed and it will take time to do that but an ocean is only made by drops.

The team has worked with all their effort especially the actors who gave themselves completely to the direction and the script, it was a spectacle to watch the lead actors go through such an emotional performance that I will truly be indebted to them for it.

It is an important film for Pakistan, it is an important film for me and for all of us who don't know the gravity of mental awareness