After the successful completion of its last cycle in December 2025, Patakha Pictures, the funding and mentorship initiative launched by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, announced an open call for the 2026 cycle of its acclaimed filmmaking mentorship program, Claim the Frame.
Created to nurture the next generation of storytellers, Patakha Pictures, launched in 2022, has supported 69 filmmakers to date, whose films have collectively won over 25 awards and screened at more than 70 international festivals. The program was founded to amplify women’s voices in cinema and strengthen Pakistan’s independent documentary landscape. In 2024, Patakha Pictures made a special exception to include both men and women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its Newly Merged Districts – expanding access to emerging filmmakers in underrepresented regions.
For its eighth edition, Patakha Pictures and SOC Films are once again partnering with the Scottish Documentary Institute and the British Council to bring Claim the Frame to women filmmakers across Pakistan.
This year, the program will select four pairs of women filmmakers aged 18 and above. Applicants must apply in pairs through a single application form. The initiative is seeking bold, resilient filmmakers who are ready to shape authentic narratives and create meaningful social impact through documentary storytelling.
Claim the Frame welcomes short documentary projects that explore themes exploring women empowerment, art, identity, culture, and music.Selected fellows will receive funding and five months of structured mentorship, working closely with international mentors and the SOC Films team. The fellowship includes weekly online sessions and an in-person edit week in Karachi. The cycle will culminate in a closing ceremony where fellows present their film trailers and connect with professionals from the documentary filmmaking community.
The 2026 fellowship will run from July to November 2026, with final selections announced in June 2026. Selected participants must commit to the full duration of the program. The deadline for submission is 20th March 2026. Applications must be submitted via email at patakhapictures@gmail.com. For more details and to access the application form, visit this website.
