Ammar Aziz: A progressive Pakistani voice

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A documentary, made by a film-maker and activist Ammar Aziz has been selected at the Talent Campus of the Berlin International Film Festival 2012 which is one of the world’s leading film-related events. Aziz, the only filmmaker to be selected from Pakistan, was chosen from over 4300 applicants from 137 countries. The documentary, ‘Rise of the Oppressed’ is a strikingly realistic portrayal of the life and struggle of the power-loom workers of Faisalabad which takes us into their dark lives. Produced by a non-government labour organisation, Labour Education Foundation, it reflects the miseries, oppression and exploitation of the working class while it also celebrates their hopes and struggle for a society free of exploitation. The film was also screened in Brussels, Belgium at an event of SOLIDAR, a European network of 52 NGOs, where the Labour Education Foundation was awarded with the Silver Rose Award for 2011. To his credit, Ammar Aziz has made various documentaries on social issues which have been screened at various film and cause-related events all over the world. His interests include music and he contributed to Laal band’s recent hit ‘Inqalab’ as a composer, vocalist and director. The 23 year old film-maker was recently included in the international Christian Science Monitor’s ’30 under 30’ people from all over the world for his art and activism. Ammar will be representing Pakistan’s leftist cultural activists in the Berlin International Film Festival which is going to take place in Germany’s capital from 11th- 17th February.

6 COMMENTS

  1. A couple of months ago when Ammar Aziz made the 30 under 30 list, as improbable as it seemed, we chose to ignore it, knowing well Ammar’s pronounced proclivity for attention and getting it at all cost. Though we was surprised at the standards of this veritable publication’s standards. Surely, It couldn’t have fallen so low. Stranger things have happened though so a lot of people who know Mr Aziz personally, let it slide by.

    It has been four months, probably more, to the publication of this article and Mr Aziz wouldn’t let anyone forget it. It is this annoying habit of bringing up the Christian Science reference in without let each and every conversation that I’ve had with him over the last couple of months, I’m compelled to draw attention to a couple of factual inaccuracies in Mr Issam Ahmed’s generous portrayal of Ammar Aziz and shed a bit of light on Ammar Aziz’s so called proletariat convictions.

    As stated above, Mr Aziz is known far and wide for presenting and twisting facts as it
    suits him and is not beyond denying monetary remuneration as well as acknowledgment to the people who have helped him and worked with him on the projects that he solely takes claim of.

    The champion of the “downtrodden peasant and labor classes” in Pakistan, mostly
    chooses to associate and mingle with the very “liberals that cloister themselves behind walled compounds and surround themselves with luxury items imported from the West” he despises. Wearing designer clothes and accessories, that his new found fame as an activist, filmmaker and band member has afforded betrays the claims he makes for Pakistan’s impoverished.

    we have tried only to point out the inaccuracies in the what is generally fed to the press and refrained from Mr Aziz’s other numerous accounts of intellectual dishonesty and cowardice (like how he behaves under pressure. those who know him as opposed to know of him, know this quite well) and categorically object (however belated) to include Mr Aziz’s name in the 30 under 30 list for the sole reason that it has made Mr Aziz a very annoying company to be with, not to mention the misrepresentation of an individual at the cost of others.

  2. Dear Sub Editor,
    The comment above by 'Phoneyspotter' is a personal attack interned to assassinate the character of Ammar Aziz. This user has been spamming against this activist on various sites, blogs and has been manipulating the Wikipedia page of the filmmaker.

    It is highly requested that you delete the comment pasted above.

Comments are closed.