Hollywood is interested in making a film on Pakistan’s culture
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ISLAMABAD:
Earlier this week, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, stated that a Hollywood production team was visiting Pakistan to shoot an international film on its vibrant culture.
The team, comprising of James MC Milan, Andrew James Fiero, Luisa Iskin, Sadia Ashraf, Badr Ikram, and Mashal Saqib, held a meeting to discuss Pakistani heritage and the progress of the film.
The Information Minister also said the film produced by the Hollywood production team will be an important milestone for the Pakistani film industry. He thanked the Hollywood team for deciding to produce a film on Pakistani culture. “It is a great honour for our culture and people,” he said, adding that Pakistan is a country abundant in its rich heritage.
“Our history, literature, music, and art are unique and appreciated worldwide,” Tarar maintained.
While shedding light on the measures taken by the government for cinema revival, he said it was the only industry in Pakistan that enjoyed tax amnesty.
“The government under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif restored the film policy in its previous term,” Tarar said, adding that the film sector had been given the status of an industry so that the country’s youth would be motivated to enter the sector and have the opportunity to take part in its effort to promote filmmaking.
In the budget for 2022-23, five years of tax exemption was given to filmmakers. Similarly, income tax exemption for five years has been given on the establishment of new cinemas, production houses, and film museums, whereas a tax exemption has been granted for ten years on the export of film and drama.
Foreign filmmakers are also given concessions on joint film and drama projects with local producers. For this, the condition of shooting 70 percent of the film in Pakistan applied to promote business activities including tourism and the arts.
Those involved in the film are confident it will give the world a new opportunity to see the beauty and diversity of the country. Pakistan has a reputation for being a hotbed of extremism in the eyes of the international world, a notion that will hopefully be debunked after the release of the film.
The Hollywood production team seems to have already seen past the security concerns and political unrest and were impressed by their visit. They thanked the minister for the cooperation and hospitality they received and said they were inspired by the great cultural heritage and people of Pakistan. “Pakistan has huge filmmaking potential, and we are committed to helping the local industry grow,” they remarked.
Tarar also assured to provide full support and cooperation to the Hollywood production team from the government.
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