by Jaspreet Pandohar
Freelance writer

In the current economic climate it may seem a tad risky to start a new business. When that venture happens to be within the unpredictable entertainment industry it’s probably even more of a perilous idea.

But that’s exactly what two daring young Londoners have done by creating a new UK-based film distribution company.

This month will see two new releases by them: The Pool and Made In Pakistan (more details at the end).

A US-India co-production directed by filmmaker Chris Smith, The Pool stars legendary Indian actor Nana Patekar and is a tale of a boy’s obsession with a glittering swimming pool and how it changes four lives in India.

Sanam Hasan and Roopa Saini are the enterprising brains behind Mara Pictures, a boutique theatrical distributor acquiring films for cinema exhibition in the UK.

“We meet a niche that was unfulfilled by the big US, UK and South Asian film distributors,” says Sanam who handles the Marketing and Public Relations side of the business.

“We are not Hollywood or Bollywood and know that our strengths lie in independent world cinema which suffered from a lack of distribution until Mara came along.”

Is Pakistan the ‘Most Dangerous Place on Earth’? That’s the questions asked by Made in Pakistan, a documentary following four individuals in Lahore from diverse backgrounds who defy the prevailing stereotype of Pakistanis and focus their energies towards the progress of Pakistan.

According to the founders, the name Mara was inspired by a story about Bhudda facing temptation. Similarly, Roopa and Sanam say they aim to “entice, allure and provoke audiences with a wide range of groundbreaking films from features to documentaries”.

“We met during our work with film festivals. We both have an interest in world cinema and came across many strong films which would bring in packed audiences during their festival screenings but would not necessarily be acquired for distribution.”

Since launching in Autumn 2009, Mara Pictures has distributed Ramchand Pakistani and Son of a Lion, two critically acclaimed feature films, both of which happen to be made in Pakistan.

The first is a joint Indo-Pak production derived from a true story concerning the accidental crossing of the Pakistan-Indian border by two members of a Pakistani Hindu family belonging to the ‘untouchable’ (Dalit) caste, while the second is a compelling account of a young Pashtun boy who defies his father’s expectation that he will carry on the family’s gun-making business by demanding an education.

“There is currently a burgeoning of independent Pakistani cinema that is coming to light and is critically on par with independent cinema around the world,” says Sanam who has lived between the US, UK and Pakistan.

As with most distributors, film markets and festivals play a major role in deciding Mara Pictures’ catalogue, explains Roopa who was born and raised in New York.

A former journalist, she has worked in the independent film sector for several years as a festival coordinator for Tongues on Fire, Europe’s leading Asian film festival, and with exhibitors like Bafta and ICA to bring global films to cinemas across the UK.

But the duo don’t want to stop at film distribution. With plans to create other projects such as film producing and festival work, the future certainly looks bright for these visionaries.

More info: www.marapictures.com

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Jaspreet Pandohar is a freelance writer, researcher and filmmaker. jaspreetpandohar@yahoo.co.uk

The UK Premiere of the documentary Made in Pakistan
6 February 2010, 6pm
Bafta, 195 Piccadilly London W1J 9LN
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

Made in Pakistan examines the lives of four Pakistani individuals from diverse backgrounds. In a country where fashion, politics, religion, debate and tradition intermingle and where one definition of an Islamic State no longer holds true, Made in Pakistan portrays aspects of Pakistan seldom revealed in the western media.
Tickets £8
RSVP info@marapictures.com by 4 February to book tickets