Pakistani cinema reached a new milestone as films Deemak and Nayab bagged top honors at the prestigious SCO Film Festival 2025, held in Yangzhou, China. This international recognition marks a proud moment for the country’s film industry, which is steadily gaining global attention for both quality and creativity.
Deemak, directed by Rafay Rashdi, won the Best Editing Award. The psychological horror film has already broken records at the Pakistani box office, becoming one of the most successful horror titles in the country’s history. Rashdi thanked the SCO, the Government of Pakistan, and the Ministry of Information in an Instagram post, celebrating the global rise of Pakistani cinema.
Acclaimed actor Sonya Hussyn, who played the lead role of Hiba, also attended the event. After the win, she shared a celebratory selfie with the award and called it “a proud moment for Pakistan.” Written by Ayesha Muzzafar and featuring a stellar cast including Samina Peerzada and Faysal Quraishi, Deemak has raised the bar for genre filmmaking in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Nayab captivated audiences with its emotional and inspiring narrative about a young girl’s dreams of breaking into the male-dominated world of cricket. Directed by Umair Nasir Ali and written by Ali Abbasi Naqvi and Basit Naqvi, the film stars Yumna Zaidi and Usama Khan. It earned the Special Jury Award, standing out among 19 competing films.
Director Umair Nasir Ali expressed heartfelt gratitude in a social media post, calling it “an emotional and proud moment for Pakistani cinema.” He thanked the team and fans, emphasizing that the win belonged to everyone who believed in the film’s message and journey.
Ali also hoped this recognition would lead to more cross-border collaborations with SCO countries. He highlighted the power of storytelling to unite cultures, saying he looks forward to seeing more Pakistani stories travel, connect, and inspire audiences around the world.