Film Screening: A Thin Wall
A THIN WALL (2015) is a documentary about memory, history and the possibility of reconciliation. It focuses on the Partition of India in 1947, but derives lessons that remain urgently relevant today. Shot on both sides of the border, in India and Pakistan, A THIN WALL is a personal take on Partition rooted in stories passed down from one generation to another. It is written and directed by Mara Ahmed and co-produced by Surbhi Dewan. Both filmmakers are descendants of families torn apart by Partition. The film is also a work of art infused with original animation, music and literary writing.
About the Director:
Best known for her non-linear multimedia work, filmmaker Mara Ahmed produces documentaries, soundscapes, and artwork that trespass political borders and challenge colonial logics. Mara was born in Lahore and educated in Belgium, Pakistan, and the US. Her practice reflects these displacements and multiplicities. She has directed and produced three films, including The Muslims I Know (2008), Pakistan One on One (2011), and A Thin Wall (2015). Her films have been broadcast on America’s Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and screened at international film festivals. She is currently working on The Injured Body, a documentary about racism in America that focuses on the voices of women of color. Mara’s artwork has been exhibited at galleries in New York and California. She was awarded a NYSCA grant in 2023 for her interdisciplinary project, Return to Sender: Women of Color in Colonial Postcards and the Politics of Representation. Her websites are NeelumFilms.com and MaraAhmedStudio.com
The Q&A session will be moderated by Osama Malik.