SUMMER CLASSICS!

Director: Charles Laughton

Screenplay: James Agee, based on the novel by Davis Grubb

Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves, Don Beddoe, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce, Gloria Castillo

Mesmerizing, horrific fairy tale with striking cinematography, haunting music, and storytelling which incorporates allusions to everything from the Bible to Hansel & Gretel to Huckleberry Finn, providing viewers with a great deal to ponder and discuss.

A psychopathic killer (Robert Mitchum), masquerading as an itinerant preacher during the Great Depression, has married a succession of women, taken their money, and killed them. Soon after arriving in a rural town he marries a widow (Shelley Winters) whose husband hid $10,000 from a robbery before he was arrested and executed for murder. The only people who know where the money is hidden are the widow's young children who swore to their father never to tell the money's location. But their new stepfather is going to make them talk even if it means he has to torture them. Coming to the rescue of the children is a no-nonsense farm woman (Lillian Gish) who with her shotgun becomes the children's protector.

The film's style weaves between harsh reality and lyrical realization, though it leans towards the latter. The Depression-era story is odd, but sadly believable (it was based on real events). The telling is often strange and unexpected with its style going back to silent films, but the subject matter - sexual repression, religious hypocrisy, child abuse - was too hot and downbeat for the times and the film flopped during the repressed 1950s. Subsequently the film was re-evaluated and is now considered to be a masterpiece. This was the only film actor Charles Laughton directed.

A lifetime opportunity for nature lovers!

Nanga Parbat (8126m) is the second-highest mountain peak in Pakistan and the ninth highest in the world. Its base camp is one the most beautiful and most accessible base camps of any 8000-meter peaks in the world.

Fairy Meadows, named by German mountaineers is an alpine pasture at an elevation of 3300 feet above sea level and offers excellent views of Nanga Parbat and other high peaks.

On this 5 days adventure trip, we will take you to the Fairy Meadows side of Nanga Parbat. This area offers excellent trekking opportunities with lush green meadows, pine-covered slopes and superb views of Nanga Parbat and other high peaks. Porters carry the heavy luggage while you hike carrying your day pack. (An easy to moderate hike of about 3 hrs).

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Departure from Islamabad at 05:00 a.m. for Chilas. Travel on Karakorum Highway in air conditioned transport and cover distance in about 11 to 12 hrs. with break for lunch and refreshments. Overnight stay at hotel in Chilas.

Day 2: Early Breakfast at hotel. Leave for Roikot Bridge (about 1 ½ hrs. drive). Roikot to Jhel on 4x4 jeeps (1 ½ hrs. jeep ride). Trek from Jhel to Fairy Meadows (3 to 4 hrs.). Those who are not interested in trekking can hire a pony to reach Fairy Meadows in about 3 hrs. Overnight stay in wooden huts/tents at Fairy Meadows.

Day 3: One day trekking excursion to explore Bial Camp and Nanga Parbat base camp (8 to 9 hrs. both ways) Those who are not interested to go on a long hike can stay back at Fairy Meadows and explore area around camping site and enjoy nature walks, photography and spend time at leisure. Overnight stay in wooden huts/tents at Fairy Meadows. Dinner with Bonfire.

Day 4: Breakfast at camping site. Enjoy morning hours to do photography, explore area towards Fantori or relax in the beautiful mountain environment. After lunch trek back to Jhel (easy downhill trekking of about 2 ½ hrs.). Jhel to Raikot bridge travel by 4x4 jeeps in 1 ½ hrs. Raikot to Chilas by van in another 1 ½ hrs.). Overnight stay at hotel in Chilas.

Day 5: Early morning departure for Islamabad. Travel on KKH via Dasu, Besham, Thakot, Mansehra and Abbottabad. Enroute stop for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Reach Islamabad at around 9:00 p.m.

This trip is planned in collaboration with Sustainable Tourism Foundation.

SUMMER CLASSICS!

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Screenplay: John Steinbeck & Jo Swerling

Cast: Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, Mary Anderson, John Hodiak, Henry Hull, Heather Angel, Hume Cronyn, Canada Lee

Academy Award Nominations: Best Director, Original Story, Cinematography

Made during WWII the film has many elements of propaganda as did most films coming out of Hollywood during the war years. However, what makes it highly original is the concept of the story being set entirely on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. And like all films by Hitchcock this too is a murder-mystery but set in the confines of a small space.

When a British Merchant ship and a German U-boat sink each other in the Atlantic Ocean several British and American civilians find themselves stuck on a lifeboat. The passengers pull on board a German survivor from the sunk U-boat and debate if he should be thrown back into the sea or allowed to sit with them in the lifeboat. The majority of the survivors vote that he should be allowed to remain on board. Soon things go missing, their water supply is sabotaged and some passengers mysteriously fall overboard. Is there a murderer on board? Can the German man be trusted?

The film caused controversy because the film glorifies the German character while denigrating the American and British characters. Hitchcock responded to the criticism by explaining that the film's moral was that the Allies needed to stop bickering and work together to win the war. The film is now viewed more favorably and has been listed by several modern critics as one of Hitchcock's most underrated films. Also receiving rave reviews was stage star Talllulah Bankhead as the sophisticated but acid-tongued journalist who bit by bit loses her glamour as the story progresses.

Hunza Valley one of the most picturesque and culturally rich region of Gilgit Baltistan. Situated in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan it is approximately a two hour drive from Gilgit city on the Karakoram Highway.

At an elevation of 2500 meters it is situated on the north/west of Hunza River and spread over 7900 square kilometers, it hosts a number of famous peaks of more than 6000 meter in height: Ultar, Rakaposhi, Diran, and Ladyfinger.

Itinerary

Day 1: Islamabad to Gilgit by morning flight.

Gilgit to Karimabad (Hunza). Sort stay at Rakaposhi View Point. Arrival at Hunza. Sightseeing and photography. Overnight stay at selected hotel at Hunza.

Day 2: Full day to explore Hunza. Visit Duikar, Altit Fort, Baltit Fort and Ganaish. Overnight stay at Hunza.

Day 3: Full day trip to Upper Hunza. Visit Attabad Lake, Gulmit, Passu, Borit Lake and Khunjrab Pass. Return to Passu for night stay.

Day 4 Full day free to go for short hiking trip along Passu glacier or do local exploration around Passu

Day 5: Return travel to Gilgit. Enjoy scenic drive on KKH. Lunch en route at Rakaposhi View Point. Night stay at hotel at Gilgit

Day 6: Forming flight to Islamabad. End of tour

Why do prisoners produce art?

Studio, canvas, paints, brushes, sculptures come into our minds when we think of “Art”. To write, to paint, to make art of any kind may be a great and true adventure, but this is not the case with ‘Prison Art’ which has almost nothing to do with the conventional aesthetic value that is usually associated with Art…

Believing that art must never stop at the level of pleasing eyes, Shakeel Ahmad, co-founder Aman Chaupal and an Anthropologist from Kasur will share his ethnographic work on prison art in Punjab. Besides attempting to answer the question ‘Why do prisoners produce art?’ the discussion will include various samples of artifacts/artworks, process methods and approach of art creation, finally utility, and significance of prison Art within and outside the prison.

The presentation will be bi-lingual followed by Q&A session.

Director: Sabiha Sumar

Screenplay: Sabiha Sumar & Paromita Vohra

Cast: Kirron Kher, Arshad Mahmood, Salman Shahid, Shilpa Shukla, Sarfaraz Ansari, Tanveer Ahmad, Zaheer Ahmed

Locarno Film Festival: Best Film / Best Actress (Kirron Kher)

A stirring and sad film about the rise of fundamentalism in1979, leading to intolerance, violence, and the reassertion of patriarchal control of women.

Middle-aged widow (Kirron Kher) gets by on her late husband’s pension and by teaching the Quran to young girls. Her 18-year-old son, Saleem (Aamir Malik), is a handsome, loafer who scoots off for secret rendezvous with his sweetheart, Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), a teen from a much richer family. Nagged by Zubeida to get a job, Saleem drifts into the circle of some Islamic fundamentalists, joins their cause, and is soon harassing Sikhs who’ve been given permission to enter the country as pilgrims. The son's fundamentalist friends hear that his mother still has Sikh sympathies, and they pressure him to get her to publicly re-state her faith in Islam. However, flashbacks to the violent Partition hint that the boy's mother is hiding a secret even he doesn’t know.

The film is a strong indictment of the intolerance and the abuse of women caused by religious differences. It helps us to better appreciate the vulnerability of women during times of political crises ...

Join us on a trail less hiked!

Patriata and Kotli Sattian on the eastern side of Murree Hills present some of the most beautiful places for exploring nature. Due to the close proximity to Murree which is the central point of activity for tourists, this area has fortunately remained less explored!

There is an old track that connects the Kotli Sattian to Patriata through the hills. The track passes through the Phofandi -a hill top near Kotli Sattian and on a clear day it presents spectacular views of the Himalayas in the East.

The coaster will drop us off at Burj - near Kotli Sattian- and pick us up at the Patriata top.

Hike Rating is Moderate with a distance of around 8Km.

Wear sturdy shoes; bring refreshments.

Book Launch & Presentation

'Focusing on the culinary is a fascinating way to explore a culture or country,food is a central strand in people's cultural inheritance.One of Nilofar Qazi's aims is to document this valuable and vulnerable part of her own heritage through traditional recipes.The writing at times reaches the same vertiginous splendour as the landscapes captured by her camera...' Claire Chambers

'Recipes carry memories of both love and greif...how does one sift through a lifetime of moments...'

This is an unusual collection of tales combining cookery, adventure, travel, heritage and exploration of Pakistan’s largest province with the tiniest of populations. Nilofer has traveled solo across the vast landscape of Balochistan collecting traditional recipes of incredible people who are the reservoir of Pakistan’s diversity. Foodmapping all the civilizational markers which are imbedded in what we savour!

Her personal perspective covers generations of her own family but also of the province’s histories. It is a rare window into a people, land and corner of Pakistan through food.

Culinary Tales from Balochistan is Nilofer Afridi Qazi first book published by Beaconbooks in the United Kingdom https://beaconbooks.net/shop/balochistan/ is the link to purchase your copy.

Check out Islamabad at night!

Its summer time and cycling at night gives a whole new perspective to the city, so step out and become part of the scene- an experience not to be missed !

For those of you interested in 'Comparative Cultures' coupled with a bit of adventure, this is an opportunity for you to check out what the Capital has to offer!

Route: Flower Market, Super Market, F-6 > Agha Khan Road > Marriott > Constitution Avenue > D Chowk Jinnah Avenue > Centaurus Chowk > Faisal Chowk > Faisal Masjid > Margalla Road > Rana Market > Jinnah Super > Super Market.

Two days/one night (14-15 May)

Swat is, without doubt ,one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in northern Pakistan. It has a rich historical past. Described as “Udyana” (the garden) in ancient Hindu epics, it is where (327 BC) Alexander the Great fought and won some of his major battles before crossing over to the plains of the five rivers. The famous Gandhara Buddhist civilization later flourished in this valley.

There are many remains of Buddhist stupas, monasteries, and settlements in lower Swat. The area is full of amazing archaeological sites in an environment still intact and dominated by the calm majesty of Mount Ilam.

In the area south of Barikot, in about 200 sq km, archeologists have documented more than 400 sites from proto-history to Islam.Under a joint venture, Italian ACT- Field School Project and Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan is working jointly to promote community-based ecotourism in the area of Lower Swat Valley.

We have designed a very special two days archaeological exploration trip to lower Swat when the area looks beautiful with spring blossoms . Some easy hiking to reach the view points of archaeological sites is involved.Wear comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing. Detailed trip joining instructions will be issued to participants well in time.

Trip Itinerary

Day-1

Departure from Islamabad at 07:00 am

Travel on M-1 Motorway and onward to Swat Expressway

En-route commentary about sites of tourist interest.

Visit

-The archaeological site of Bazira near Barikot. (In 327 BC, Alexander the Great captured this city).

Lunch: (carry pack lunch/snacks)

Continue towards Mingora/Saidu Sharif

Visit

-Shingardar Stupa on the way

-Archaeological sites of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi’s 11thcentury Mosque at Udegram

-Remains of Raja Gira’s Castle of Hindu Shahia period (short hike involved)

Arrival at Mingora/Saidu Sharif

-In the evening visit shops of handicrafts at Mingora.

Dinner and night stay at hotel.

Day-2

Breakfast at hotel

Visit

-Swat Museum (one of the finest collections of Gandhara artifacts)

-Batkara Stupa (one of the main Buddhist Stupa built in this region)

Checkout from the hotel. Departure for return travel

Visit

-Galeghai cave and Buddha image on a rock along the road.

-Amluk-Dara Stupa (one of the most important sites of Buddhism in Swat)

Lunch: At Afghani Cuisine restaurant (Khorak Mahal) near Chakdara

Return travel to Islamabad

Estimated time of arrival of group at Islamabad: 7:00 pm