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So Kamal welcomes the new season with the launch of its Spring Summer 2020 Collection!

Posted on March 14, 2020
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So Kamal, Pakistan’s premium retail brand welcomes the new season with its new Spring Summer 2020 Collection.

 

Featuring model Mushk Kaleem, the collection takes inspiration from the rich vibrancy of spring and crafts a blend between tradition and a modern design philosophy. The collection brings a wide range of intricately crafted ensembles, all of which are artistically illustrated in prints and embroideries to present a complete look for every occasion.

 

The collection itself is an assortment ranging from 100-150 unique design and varies in palatte from urbane mid-tones to pastels with joyful multi-colors, impeccable solids, vibrant ombre’s and powdery rainbows. Dupattas in the collection range from a series of diverse fabrics, from printed jacquard brosha, dyed embroidered jacquard, paste printed chiffon, embroidered organza, printed tissue silk, gold motif jacquard printed, embroidered textured organza and embroidered net.

 

The collection starts at an extremely accessible price range of PKR 950 and is now available nationwide on all So Kamal retail outlets.

 

With the collection, So Kamal also introduces its #SoKamalGirl initiative as a platform and narrative under which its entire brand campaigns for 2020 will be introduced.

 

“Celebrating women-hood and its spirit, we are delighted to introduce the #SOKAMALGIRL campaign with our Spring Summer Collection. Under this new narrative, we will be exploring a series of creative, progressive and powerful initiatives for women. This includes scouting, nurturing and giving a platform to new talent in fashion, the arts and creative fields; championing causes and organizations working towards key issues such as women empowerment, financial inclusion of women and spreading awareness about women rights. The #SOKAMALGIRL we hope to evolve into a movement of mindset which puts women at the very heart the So Kamal experience” said CEO, So Kamal Mrs. Erum Ahmad.

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SHARMEEN OBAID-CHINOY releases the BRAZIL Episode of ‘FUNDAMENTAL. GENDER JUSTICE. NO EXCEPTIONS.’

Posted on March 14, 2020
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Two-time Academy Award Winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy releases the second episode of “FUNDAMENTAL. GENDER JUSTICE. NO EXCEPTIONS” titled “Brazil – Defenders of Justice”. The episode has been directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and produced by Safyah Zafar Usmani from SOC Films.

Indeed, this is the first time an all Pakistan Crew has created a global series. This is also the first global series to be officially presented and released by YouTube Originals and Refinery29.

In FUNDAMENTAL, the second episode from Brazil, “Defenders of Justice” focuses on the women’s movements in Brazil against nationalism, racism, and patriarchy to save women’s health and lives. Brazilian law permits abortion only in cases of rape and danger to the woman’s life. Sexual and reproductive rights are severely limited, and there are deep racial prejudices against Black Brazilians. Civil society is also under threat, and activists in Brazil remain on high alert after the murder of prominent Black Brazilian activist Marielle Franco in March 2018.

 

The Brazil episode, “Defenders of Justice,” follows Lucia Xavier, who is part of a movement of powerful women activists who are reframing reproductive rights as an issue of gender rights and racial justice, as she and others work to address security threats against activists fighting for reproductive rights. The episode also features Daniele Duarte, an Afro-Brazilian lesbian activist who participates in protests and marches against the rise of the extremist president Jair Bolsonaro. Lucia, Daniele, and others are part of a vibrant and intersectional feminist movement in Brazil, mobilizing what some are calling a “Feminist Spring” in Brazil as the Supreme Court considers decriminalizing abortion.

A production of SOC Films and Global Fund for Women, FUNDAMENTAL is a five-episode international documentary series which follows dynamic activists from five countries who are disrupting the status quo and radically altering the course of history for women and girls – and all historically marginalized people and communities globally. FUNDAMENTAL has been shot and produced by documentary film-makers from SOC FILMS, Safyah Zafar Usmani and Shahrukh Waheed and directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, in Brazil, Georgia, Kenya, USA and Pakistan. Indeed, with this series, SOC Films aims to present and empower the next generation of non-fiction filmmakers in Pakistan.

Presented by YouTube Originals, the series is a production of SOC Films and Global Fund for Women in association with Fork Films and Secret Sauce Media. Executive Producers include Julie Parker Benello (Secret Sauce Media), Catherine King (Global Fund for Women), Abigail E. Disney (Fork Films), Maria Nunez, Susan Sherrerd, Patty Quillin, and Lynda Weinman. The project has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Levi Strauss Foundation. Partnering with Refinery29 on the series, the episode of FUNDAMENTAL will be released of Refinery29’s official YouTube channel and YouTube.com/Learning.

The FUNDAMENTAL production crew also features Directors of Photography Faizan Ali and Nadir Siddiqui, Cameraperson Khurram Victor, Editors and Colorists Husain Qaizer and Sourath Behan, Editors Mishaal Adhami and Anas Ahmed, Sound Design by Sameer Khan, Project Manager Huma Shah, Color Correction of Photography by Murtaza Ali and Line Production by Syed Ayub. The series also features music by Taha Malik with Cameraperson Salome Sagaradze for Georgia and Associate Producers Maureen Wanjiku for Kenya, Nino Isakadze for Georgia and Julia Main for USA.

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SHARMEEN OBAID-CHINOY HOSTED THE PREMIERE FOR “SITARA: LET GIRLS DREAM” IN KARACHI

Posted on March 14, 2020
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Two-time Academy and three-time Emmy Award-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy hosted the premiere of her latest animation short film, SITARA: LET GIRLS DREAM at Nueplex Cinemas in Karachi on 9th March 2020. SITARA was released on International Women’s Day [8th March 2020] on Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service, in over 190 countries. Indeed, SITARA is the first Pakistani Animated Film to be released and distributed by NETFLIX USA.

 

Written and directed Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, SITARA: LET GIRLS DREAM takes the audience on a journey through the old city of Lahore, where a fourteen-year-old girl named Pari, dreams of becoming a pilot. Her story is told from the perspective of her younger sister, Mehr, and portrays the impact of a culture and the burdens of a family where girls still struggle to fully realize their dreams. SITARA is a silent film [no dialogues] which embodies this conflict.

 

The premiere was attended by personalities such as Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir, President & CEO HBL Muhammad Aurangzeb, Founder & President ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal, CEO ARY Digital Network Jerjees Seja, actors Ayesha Omar, Sanam Saeed, Adeel Hussain, Ushna Shah and Zahid Ahmed, musician Jimmy Khan, film director Saqib Malik, fashion designers Safinaz Muneer, Feeha Jamshed and Maheen Khan, to name a few. Public relations for the premiere was done by Lotus PR.

SITARA had earlier won three awards at the Los Angeles Animation Festival 2019 in North Hollywood in December 2019 in the categories of Best Produced Screenplay, Best Music Score and the Humanitarian Award.

 

Chinoy had also earlier launched a campaign with GUCCI’s social impact initiative Chime for Change to #LetGirlsDream by encouraging girls around the world to share their dreams and gain inspiration from one another. A robust school outreach program is already underway across the world, to inspire and encourage girls to hold meaningful conversations about their dreams and how to best achieve them. The website for the campaign is www.LetGirlsDream.org

 

The music for SITARA has been composed by Grammy and Emmy Award-Winning composer Laura Karpman. Produced by VICE Studios, the film’s Executive Producers include Gloria Steinem, the iconic women’s rights activist, Darla Anderson, the Academy Award-winning producer of Coco and Toy Story 3, VICE Media Group’s CEO Nancy Dubuc, and Emmy-nominated Ariel Wengroff as well as Chinoy’s own animation production studio, Waadi Animations with Imke Fehrmann as the producer of SITARA: LET GIRLS DREAM.

 

In Pakistan, the Waadi Animations Team is spearheaded by Art Director Salman Nasir, Animation Director Kamran Khan, CG Lighting Supervisor Adnan Saeed, Director of Photography Faizan Ali, Editor Husain Qaizer, Sound Editor Sameer Khan, co-producer Eleyna Sara Haroun and Associate Producer Syed Ayub – with Salman Iqbal, Jerjees Seja, Imke Fehrmann and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy as the producers.

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Kashmir the Band Release their Debut Album; Khwaab

Posted on March 14, 2020
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Having won the Pepsi battle of the bands season 2 in 2017, Kashmir has emerged as one of the most promising alternative rock bands in the country. After 2 years of several single releases and music videos, the award-winning group in collaboration with Pepsi and Zellbury, has finally released their debut album titled “Khwaab.”

The news arrives alongside the release of another single ‘Dhoop,’ accompanied by a music video directed by Umar Anwar shot in Thailand. The album has nine songs, plus two bonus songs, a compilation of all the songs the band has released individually over the past two years. The corner stone of this album was set back in 2018 when just after winning Pepsi Battle of the Bands, the band announced their album titled ‘Khwaab’ to be released song by song, ultimately leading to a compiled album.

Talking about the release of their album, the band members were visibly excited, “If I could use one word to sum up this whole experience, we can easily say it has been surreal. To have been performing at all these venues, to have been able to put all this music out there has always been a dream, and getting to release this album is just the first step on this musical journey. We have put our heart and soul into making this music, and we hope people can feel some of what we have put out there through it,” said the band.

The band launched their album at a star studded event at Arts Council, Karachi where the band also performed music off their album for the audience. The album launch party was held in collaboration with Pepsi and Zellbury, and welcomed media fraternity, bloggers, and artists. The band’s personal and intimate performance was the highlight of the event.

The album has been released for now as collectible USBs and CDs and will also be available online on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and Google Play.

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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy releases the sixth film from HOME1947 titled Weaving Memories

Posted on March 10, 2020
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SOC Films releases the sixth short-film from HOME1947 titled Weaving Memories. Indeed, HOME1947 Series is a deeply personal exploration of the lives and stories of the millions that were displaced in 1947 during the creation of two new independent states, India and Pakistan.

 

The sixth film of HOME1947 series, Weaving Memories is recitation of a poem that evokes memories of the simple joys that give life meaning, such as playing hopscotch with a friend. However with the change of times, everything is but a distant memory as life becomes unpredictable.

 

HOME1947 is a series of 7 short films conceptualized and produced by SOC Films, which recreate the long-lost sights and sounds of what millions once called home and explores this world not through the words of historians and politicians, but through the eyes of those who lived through it.

 

HOME1947 Series was first premiered as part of the HOME1947 Exhibition at the Manchester International Festival in the UK followed by exhibitions in Mumbai [India], Lahore and Karachi. HOME1947 has been co-commissioned by the British Council in Pakistan in collaboration with the Manchester International Festival and Super Slow Way.

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Dolmen Mall pays tribute to women empowering others on occasion of International Women’s Day

Posted on March 10, 2020
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Dolmen Malls celebrated International Women’s Day from 6th March to 8th March 2020, the event honoured women from all walks of life featuring prominent women including accomplished entrepreneurs, influencers, fitness experts, media luminaries and renowned celebrities.

Adorned with kites, Pakistan’s favourite mall hosted numerous women centric activities, makeovers and product testing by major local and international brands such as Garnier, Almirah, Maybelline, Make Up City, Bind Chocolates and more. On this occasion, Dolmen Mall was seen paying tribute within the Dolmen City network of retail and corporate partners. A number of outlets adorned acknowledgements for women entrepreneurs who have made their mark within Pakistan’s growing mall and retail industry.

The fourth of its kind, ‘Power Talk’ hosted by Dolmen Mall commemorated women who are widely acknowledged for supporting other women. Thus, amidst corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, health and wellness experts, social workers, influencers, media luminaries and renowned socialites, the annual panel discussion focused on ‘Empowered Women Empower Women’.

Moderated by Faiza Saleem, originator of the first ever female comedy troupe, humorist and actor, the Power Talk panel discussion, centered around liberating women through building support systems. A renowned panel discussed the subject matter owing to their expertise and vast history of building a support system and network widely in Pakistan.

The panel consisted of renowned Pakistani fashion designer, Huma Adnan originator of FnkAsia fusion wear, Huma Adnan bridal couture and Craft Stories series of handcrafted accessories made by refugee artisans. Also present was Tahera Hasan, Founder and Director of Imkaan Welfare Organisation and the founder of Karachi Adoption Resource Centre (KARC), Saira Saigal, owner of Zerritta Flowers also shared the stage along with Mantahaa Tareen, pioneer of Zumba in Pakistan, a renowned Fitness, Lifestyle & Wellbeing Trainer, Saman Hayat Soomro, renowned travel and lifestyle influencer and Umber T. Ansari, Head of Corporate Communications, Engro Corporation added value to panel and online discussion.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Anum Nadeem, Director Marketing of the Dolmen Group shared, “Dolmen Mall recognises the need to continuously support, educate and empower women; a woman with a dream given a chance to grow, can do wonders.”

Living up to its legacy of value additions, brands and outlets went out of their way to make women shoppers feel happy and pampered through power packed discounts and food deals. Aldo, in a media studded event launched its latest collection of Disney X Aldo with all Disney themed accessories etc. Zeen unveiled their refurbished outlet at Dolmen Mall Clifton aimed at an improved shopping experience. Women’s day festivities were augmented by the ongoing cricket fervor and celebrations across the mall.

 

Dolmen Malls, have revolutionized the retail landscape of Pakistan by going an extra mile to keep customers happy through service and experiential excellence. The mall integrates the best in food, fashion and entertainment by providing the Pakistani shoppers access to some of the most popular retail brands and eateries, evidently being ranked as the destination of choice by mall visitors.

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AlifKitab Publishes Fareeha Jay’s First Lifestyle Book ‘It’s Not a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle’

Posted on March 10, 2020
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AlifKitab Publications, writer Umera Ahmed’s publication house, has published the health lifestyle book ‘It’s Not a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle’ by the UK registered dietitian and health enthusiast, Fareeha Jay.

 

A graduate from the University of Plymouth, England, Fareeha Jay believes there’s far more to a healthy lifestyle than counting calories and how many steps you walked in a day. She cuts through the noise surrounding fitness stereotypes, explaining the intricacies of nutrition and how to follow a healthy eating lifestyle in plain English.

 

Talking about her new book, the author explained, “With the ever-growing trend of promoting quick resulting fad diets, I wanted to take a step back and provide people with easy-to-follow strategies on developing healthy eating habits.”

 

Fareeha Jay provides some practical tips and an honest, rational approach that aims to empower you to create mindful habits that will transform the way you perceive food and health—and help you lose weight for good.

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Rabab Hashim names Moneygram’s Pakistan Brand Ambassador

Posted on March 10, 2020
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The stunning actress & host Rabab Hashim has just been signed on as the new face of Moneygram, the leading global money transfer company, for Pakistan.

 

The launch of Rabab Hashim’s collaboration with the global financial brand includes A series of television commercials targeting the expatriate Pakistani populace around the world – namely North America, Middle East, Europe & Australia.

 

“I am so proud to be MoneyGram Ambassador for Pakistan.” stated Rabab Hashim on this new collaboration. “The company provides a very important service to my fellow Pakistani’s around the world and I feel good about this association,” she further said.

 

In addition, being featured in their marketing communications, Rabab will also be attending a host of exclusive meet & greets around the globe, representing the brand & Pakistan, first of which will be in Melbourne, Australia at the Women’s T20 Finals on March 8th, 2020.

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Haseeb Hasan & Umera Ahmed’s Upcoming Blockbuster ‘Aan’

Posted on March 10, 2020
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The renowned Director and Producer, Haseeb Hasan of Hamdan Films, is gearing up to bring another blockbuster feature film titled ‘AAN’.

The film features Fawad Khan in the lead, a world-renowned actor that lives in the hearts of many people. Fawad Khan is the biggest name in the Pakistan Film Industry who has not only gained a name for himself but also for our beloved country, Pakistan. The megastar will be seen in an avatar like never before.

The ensemble cast will also include Sanam Saeed, Zara Noor Abbas, Jawed Shaikh, Navid Shehzad, Nayyar Ejaz, Naeem Tahir, Aly Khan among many others.

Haseeb Hasan has many projects that are famous worldwide, one of which is “Parwaaz Hai Junoon”. A 2018 war-combat film that hit cinemas worldwide and won the hearts of millions. The film made the highest gross of 40+ crore at the worldwide box office and is set to be the first ever Pakistani film that will be released in China.

The new project, ‘AAN’ will be no exception. The script has been penned down by Umera Ahmed who has helped in turning this little dream into a big reality, with her exceptional writing skills. Some of her famous projects, amongt many others are, Zindagi Gulzaar Hai, Laal, Shehr-e-Zaat and Meri Zaat Zarra Benishan. “AAN” will also be featuring some of the best and intense dialogues that will leave your heart throbbing.

‘AAN’    is the epitome of naval warriors that packs romance and drama between the main actors. It also has a combat and touch of humor that makes it a complete package for the best cinematic experience. The film is set to start shoot in April with pre-set release date at the end of 2020.

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Sportsfever360 and Stats Perform (OPTA) embarks on a new journey of stats data in Pakistan

Posted on March 4, 2020
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Sportsfever360, one of the leading sports management organizations of Pakistan has inked an agreement with internationally acclaimed Sports & Technology firm, Stats Perform. Stats Perform harnesses the true power of sports data by leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence to generate the industry’s richest insights.

Through the partnership, Sportsfever360 will start a new Wave of Cricket Data & insights which will enhance sports technology & its experience in Pakistan, also build onto the evolving sports infrastructure of the country. The partnership will allow Sportsfever360 to represent OPTA solutions and products other than betting rights in Pakistan and leverage various technologies in the local industry.

Within a short span, Sportsfever360 has emerged as one of the top companies offering technological innovations in the world of sports. Their wide array of services including HD Productions, live streaming, online scoring and conduction of corporate leagues contributed immensely to the sports industry. To further their ambition of diversification and innovation the company has set up various divisions which cater to different needs. With Services like Live360, sportsfever360 has become one leading HD Sports Production Houses in Pakistan.

Innovation Leadership: Stats Perform is investing in our data science team and Artificial Intelligence to bring the market new products that continue to lead the industry. These products are rooted in advanced analytics, predictive content, and Natural Language Generation, offering our customers the ability to churn out more content than ever before through alerts, predictive content, movement data, and more.

 

 

Highest Quality Data: Stats perform data is of the highest quality in terms of our market-leading low latency, multiple formats allowing customers to use whatever format is easiest for their implementation, and similar back-end architecture across sports making any new integration exceptionally easy and allowing for quicker deployment.

 

One-Stop-Shop: Stats Perform covers, 500+ leagues, across the globe and constantly re-evaluates the leagues and data points that we should be capturing to truly support a global audience. In addition to our core data like scores and play-by-play, we also are able to support the market with content like odds, win probabilities and industry-leading player projections in addition to short and long-form editorial and images. On top of our data, our world-class research team provides a unique analysis on top of our data set. No matter how you are looking to grow, Stats Perform is the only true one-stop-shop to get it all.

 

Sohaib Irfan, CEO Sportsfever360, marked the agreement as a step towards a sports revolution, “We aim to transform the sports industry through this dynamic partnership. Our partnership with Stats Perform will open up the new wave of Data-Driven Solutions and insights not only for Teams, their players but also for Media Groups, Publishers and content writers across the country, we believe Data in our Sports and Cricket is the need of the hour and our partnership will create a new buzz in Pakistan.

Sportsfever360 has played a monumental role for the sports industry, garnering interest for sports which were unheard of in Pakistan. The organization has enabled millions of sportsmen in Pakistan who were deprived of any adequate facility. The recent partnership promises exciting new prospects for both the companies and the sports fraternity.