The curtain rises

Culture is in. And it is the sheer defiance and determination on the part of film and media fraternities in the country that is keeping it alive as perhaps one of the most definitive and binding of forces in human societies. The seventh KaraFilm Festival returned this week to Karachi after a two-year absence. The KaraFilm Society deserves applause for not allowing the curtain to come down on the art and pleasure of all things celluloid; that too in the face of the myriad evils that plague us — from rabid Talibanisation to political instabilities and crippling inflation. Another instance of similar grit that leaps to mind is the determination of the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in Lahore not to be deterred by three bomb blasts at the gate of the venue where it was having a function. However, the culture crusade cannot be the domain of artists and filmmakers alone. It must extend to other members of civil society, and to the government. It is a wonder that after the dark Zia regime, when nearly all aspects of the performing and creative arts were brought to a halt, successive governments have done precious little to help them become a way of life.The more orthodox among us have the example of a theocratic country, Iran, before them. Here intellectual art forms, such as the indigenous film industry flourish, even in the face of constraints, to become a prized export. Meanwhile, aside from providing both moral and monetary aid to endeavours such as the KaraFilm Festival, the government must ensure that cultural initiatives are not victims of the political clime of the time — a case in point is the denial of visas to many Indian delegates willing to attend the festival. Cultural authorities have to assure airtight security to not only these projects but also their guests as Pakistan’s security challenges have kept all foreign visitors away from Kara. The festival’s two-year no-show was a direct result of these threats, which can be avoided if the government makes cultural growth a priority. After all, the show must go on, especially if societal challenges are to be quelled.