Urooj Niazi 
deemak, nayab win top honors at sco film festival
Pakistani Films Deemak and Nayab Win Big at SCO Festival
Pakistan continues to make its mark on the world stage of filmmaking, as two original Pakistani films, Deemak and Nayab, received celebrated awards at the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival, held in Yangzhou, China.
Deemak Wins Best Editing Award
The psychological horror film Deemak, directed by Rafay Rashdi, won the Best Editing Award at the festival. Deemak is starring Sonya Hussyn, Samina Peerzada, and Faysal Quraishi, and has already been a success with its compelling story and solid production values at the box office.
Rafay Rashdi took to Instagram to announce his joy, thanking the SCO, the Government of Pakistan, and the Ministry of Information. Lead actress Sonya Hussyn played the character of Hiba and stated, “Together we are happy to represent Pakistani cinema and culture. I am happy for us and proud of Pakistan.” Sonya posted a selfie with the award, calling it “a proud moment for Pakistan.”
Nayab Wins Special Jury Award
Meanwhile, Nayab, a poignant sports drama starring Yumna Zaidi and Usama Khan, won the Special Jury Award. Nayab was directed by Umair Nasir Ali and written by Ali Abbasi Naqvi and Basit Naqvi, and features the uplifting tale of a young woman trying to carve her place in Pakistan’s male-dominated cricket society. The director expressed that the win is “emotional and proud” and hopes that this level of recognition will provide for collaboration internationally between producers in Pakistan, China, and members of the extended SCO family. Both films reflect the growing quality and worldwide appeal of Pakistani cinema and should give confidence to Pakistani storytellers that they can inspire the world.
