Urdu Report Desk
Pakistan has selected the documentary ‘Hanging by a Wire,’ based on the August 2023 Battagram cable car accident and rescue operation, for the 2027 Oscars’ International Feature Film category.
Directed by Muhammad Ali Naqvi, the documentary is the first documentary entry from Pakistan in the category.
Story of the Battagram Cable Car Rescue
The film tells the story of a rescue operation in which eight people, including six children, remained trapped for several hours in a damaged cable car suspended over the Jhangri River.
The incident in August 2023 drew widespread attention across Pakistan after a cable snapped, leaving the passengers suspended hundreds of feet above the ground.
Rescue Operation
Rescue teams initially attempted to reach the stranded passengers by helicopter. Later, rescuers used the remaining cable to gain access to the cable car.
The operation continued until late at night, and all eight people were eventually rescued safely.
Pakistan’s First Documentary Entry
Pakistan’s Oscars selection committee chose ‘Hanging by a Wire’ for consideration in the International Feature Film category, making it the country’s first documentary entry in the category.
Pakistan first submitted a film for the category in 1959. None of the 13 films previously submitted by the country received an Oscar nomination, although Saim Sadiq’s ‘Joyland’ was shortlisted in 2022.
Director Highlights Pakistani Cinema
Director Muhammad Ali Naqvi said the documentary highlights the potential of Pakistani cinema.
According to Naqvi, stories from Pakistan’s mountainous regions, when told through the voices of local people, can become compelling films capable of reaching international film festivals and attracting Hollywood’s attention.
Naqvi expressed hope that international recognition for the documentary would create opportunities for other Pakistani filmmakers to advance in international cinema.
Next Stage in the Oscars Race
The rescue operation that safely saved eight people in Battagram will now represent Pakistan on the international stage through the documentary.
However, ‘Hanging by a Wire’ will have to go through further stages of the Oscars selection process to secure an official nomination.
