Our Founder
Mushtaq Gazdar1937-2000
In the process of film making I come across ever-new aspects of life, which I am required to research, absorb and ultimately to convey to others so that they might share some of the intensity with which I experienced the subject.
- excerpt from a travel journal
The process of transforming ideas into film is the very essence of being; successfully conveying ideas through this medium is the only reward worth seeking.
- during an interview
Filmmaking keeps me young enough to explore ever-new areas of life.
- to his friends
Biography
Mushtaq Gazdar was born in Karachi in 1937. Although he did his masters in Physics from Karachi University, his lasting passion for filmmaking led him, in the mid-1960s, to pursue training in filmmaking in London. His first ever film, a student project, was about the lives of Pakistani migrants in the UK. Soon after, Gazdar and his wife and life-long collaborator, Saeeda, made a crucial move back to Pakistan. From then on, their lives and careers were deeply intertwined with the moods and currents of their homeland. In the year 2000, Gazdar passed away while working on his film which aimed to expose women-trafficking in South Asia.
Statements regarding our founder
Mushtaq Gazdar is a dreamer. I consider him a visionary with a difference.
Anwar Enayetullah - Columnist, Dawn
Sir Mushtaq Gazdar is the only filmmaker I went to after my graduation and return to Pakistan. We used to sit outside his office under a large tree. He would show me his cameras and editing studio. Now, especially during COVID times, I realize the power of his sufism. Calm down. Slow down. See the small details of life and smile always. He was my mentor and a master filmmaker. I still remember his smile and grey hair.
Jami - Filmmaker
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