HEAL, an award winning short film set between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has been running on the international festival circuit for the last two years will now be released exclusively online. The film, set in the midst of the ongoing conflict in this region uses the supernatural to highlight an often ignored reality in today’s world and tells the story of how a gifted young boy makes an extraordinary effort for his people.
HEAL has already garnered numerous accolades internationally having received more than 20 awards, while in competition against feature films, documentaries and Oscar nominated short films, generating interest in Pakistan and around the world. Some of the awards received include the prestigious ‘Frank Capra Award,’ (Fallbrook 2011) ‘Jesse Epstein Humanitarian Award,’ (Cleveland 2010) ‘Outstanding Filmmaker (Overall Directing)’ and ‘Best Cinematography,’ (HATCHfest 2010) and also winning ‘Best Science Fiction / Fantasy Film’ at last year’s Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival in the U.S.
The film has been written and directed by Pakistani filmmaker, Mian Adnan Ahmad and comprises of cast and crew members from various countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Finland, Spain, Japan, India and the U.S.
Cast includes the young and talented Ameer Zhowandai and Hannah Sher both of whom have received awards for their performances in HEAL. Other cast members are the already well known Navid Negahban (24, Homeland, Brothers), along with Fereshta Kazemi, Walid Amini and Reha Zamani. Some key crew members for the film include Marcus Metsala (Producer), Dani Sanchez-Lopez (Cinematographer), Yukako Shimada (Editor), Prajakta Ghag (Production designer) and John Kenneth E. Brady (Sound designer). The original music score has been composed by Tuomas Kantelinen whose previous work also includes the Oscar nominated feature film, Mongol. Two traditional music pieces for the film were also performed and recorded by musicians Abid Ahmad and Sayadullah in Baghicha Dheri; Adnan’s village near Mardan, Pakistan.
As festival regulations have eased, the film will be made directly available to the masses and released worldwide on its official facebook page: www.facebook.com/heal.film
HEAL has already screened at numerous film festivals and platforms across the globe and also benefited from special screenings arranged in some cities of Pakistan. It is now time to share it with the people…everyone, everywhere.
CRITICS / FILM FESTIVALS
“At once touching and mastered…”
Maurice G. Dantec (Fantasia Int’l Film Festival 2010)
“A little gem.”
Sabine Garcia (Culturopoing.com)
“…it really is an incredible short.”
Eric Vespe (Comic-Con Int’l – IFF 2011)
“…conveys the message in an extraordinary way.”
Myra Imran (The News)
“…provides a window into another culture, showing a people surviving…living with hope during a time of war.”
Jury Members (Cleveland Int’l Film Festival 2010)
