Articles for author: Aliza Ayaz

Why Pakistan Needs a Cultural Foreign Policy

At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Nigeria made history. My Father’s Shadow, a searing portrait of masculinity and political instability by Akinola Davies Jr., became the country’s first-ever official selection at Cannes, screening in the Un Certain Regard section. Meanwhile, Iran, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia were present with provocative entries-ranging from political thrillers to experimental documentaries. Across screenings and panels, the message was clear: cinema is no longer just entertainment. It is statecraft. Pakistan, once again, was absent. This absence is not simply a matter of visibility. It is symptomatic of a deeper policy gap-the lack of a cultural foreign