KARACHI: Multitalented actor and director Usman Mukhtar’s short film ‘Bench’ is finally out on his YouTube channel, according to a statement. The short film has also been selected for the Cannes International Independent Film Festival.
Mukhtar has acted and directed the short film that also features Rubya Chaudhry and Iman Shahid. The trio previously worked as a team on another short film Aasiqui. The film has been written by Ali Mudar.
The story revolves around a young couple who are stuck at a turning point in their lives if they should stay together or leave each other. In hopes of finding a remedy to their problem, they meet at their favorite spot to make the final decision.
“Directing this film has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I enjoy creating such forms of art and I aspire to create more of these films”, said Mukhtar. He further added, “With Bench, we hope to break through the dramatic viewpoint that has been set for Pakistani cinema and create a sense of realism in the industry.”
“A lot of hard work and effort has gone into the making of this film and it is an honor to be featured in CIIFF. We are really excited now that the film is available for the masses to enjoy, and we look forward to their feedback,” he added.
The film was initially set to release in May but was delayed indefinitely out of respect for the Palestinian protests. Bench made headlines when it was selected as a finalist by the International Short Awards earlier this year. It also won the best short film award at the South Shore Film Festival, New York.
The short feature also includes ‘Soye Nahi’, a beautiful song by Natasha Humera Ejaz and Mirande Shah.
