The Unknown Mountaineers (Documentary), Rufus King Park (Short Film)

The film is about a group of aspiring women climbers from Shimshal, a remote valley in northern Pakistan. The documentary follows 18-year-old Hameeda Bibi and her friends who couldn’t go to school and learnt technical high-altitude mountain climbing from the men in their community. These men work as porters and guides in mountain tourism which is the economic backbone of their area. Shimshal is at an altitude of 10,000ft and with single cropping, little grazing ground near the villages and a rugged terrain life is brutal and breeds people with a natural capacity for high-altitude mountaineering but sadly without the means to take their dreams forward. The men scrape a living by risking their lives in what is undeniably among the most dangerous sports in the world but many have developed a passion and inspired their women to follow their dreams as well with regular trainings to make these dreams possible. However, without the means, education and possibility of sponsorships the women are left living their simple lives of subsistence farming and yak herding though they have set national records in their country and even climbed a 20,000ft summit in the winter. This film aims to follow their expeditions while also showing the harshness of their lives. It aims to give the women, these Pakistani Sherpa the recognition they deserve. It’s a story of strength, struggle and survival set in a breathtaking landscape about a people who dare to dream.

Director: Shehrbano Saiyid

Shehrbano is Social Studies graduate from Lahore University of Management Sciences and has Masters in Broadcast Journalism from Columbia University. She is a freelance Documentary Film Maker, she has worked as Reporter/Writer at Geo TV Network and was Consultant at Agha Khan Rural Support Program.

About the Film

Sharon & Matthew both suffering from cancer last stage meet by chance. They become good friends over time & decide to spend their last lap of their lives together as much as they can.

Cast: Stacey Van Gorder, Akono Dixon

Director: Vinay Pujara

Vinay Pujara is an India born filmmaker. Started his career in Bollywood as an Assistant Director. After taking classes at NYU’s filmmaking school as well as other’s in 2012, he has since completed 9 short films and is in pre production for his first feature. His company “Sun Om Productions Inc.” is quickly outputting content with strong themes. Vinay has valued his films in the sense of being fearless pieces that tell a story from a view that is not often seen. His past short films have been screened at film festivals around the globe as well as have won some awards.