Meet the Producer: Documentaries & Drama with Anam Abbas

In this strand of WFTV events, members are invited to Meet the Producer. This session will feature our host and fellow producer Michelle Stein in conversation with documentary filmmaker and drama film producer, Anam Abbas. There will be an opportunity to watch Anam's latest film In Flames in advance via a screener link.

Michelle and Anam will discuss Anam’s career path, along with any current trends she’s noticing within the industry, and insights on funding and developing projects. They'll also discuss the making of In Flames and Anam's role as producer throughout production. 

There will be an opportunity to ask Anam questions during the last 15 minutes of the session.

**Members will also have the opportunity to watch In Flames in advance to the event. The screening link will be sent to you in your registration confirmation email**

Event Schedule:

18:25: Please join the webinar waiting room

18:30: In conversation with Anam Abbas

19:15: Attendee Q&A opens

19:30: Finish

In Flames, Synopsis

Mariam's precarious existence is ripped apart when her father passes. Livingina deep-rooted and toxic patriarchy, Mariam and her mother must find the strength to survive the malevolentforces that threaten to swallow them.

About Anam Abbas, Guest Producer

Anam Abbas is a Pakistani/Canadian filmmaker and owner of Other Memory Media. As a producer and DOP her first feature documentary Showgirls of Pakistan, premiered in competition at IDFA 2020 and was released globally by VICE in 2021 and has over 2 million views.

Anam's first feature documentary as a Director, This Stained Dawn, supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, follows the feminist activists who organise the "Aurat March" in Pakistan. It premiered in International Competition at the 2021 Sheffield Doc Fest and has won awards in Canada, USA and India.

Her directorial work also includes short documentaries Lucky Irani Circus (2015), Girls with Goals- Kids on the Silk Road (2023, ARTE Kids), and fiction short Saya, co-directed with Fawzia Mirza (2019), and  webseries Ladies Only (2016-2018). She has also directed music videos for her band Garam Anday and Pakistani artist Arieb Azhar.

Anam is an alumni of Locarno Film Festival's Open Doors Hub2017, 2018 Berlinale Talents, 2019 Film Independant Global Media Makers, 2020  Berlinale Talents Project Market and 2020 Cannes Producer's Network and has served as a selection committee member for Berlinale Talents Doc Station and Sheffield Meet Market.

Her first fiction feature, the Telefilm Talents to Watch and Canada Council of the Arts supported In Flames, Directed by Zarrar Kahn, had it's World Premiere at Director's Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, won the Golden Yusr for Best Picture at the Red Sea FF, the International Newcomer Award at  Mannheim-Heidelberg FF and was Pakistan’s Entry for Best International Picture for the 2024 Academy Awards.

Anam is also one of the founding members of the Documentary Association of Pakistan (DAP) and recipient of the 2023 CMPA Emerging Producer’s Award.

About Michelle Stein, Host and Producer

Michelle is s BAFTA, RTS nominated and BIFA winning producer.  Her most recent feature film, sci-fi Sky Peals, from Moin Hussain premiered in Venice Critic’s week in 2023 and was backed by Film4, BFI and Screen Yorkshire and is being sold by Bankside.  Over the last 16 years, Michelle has worked on a plethora of projects from producing a micro-budget first feature that secured international theatrical distribution to developing a big-budget animation franchise with Aardman.  Michelle has a keen eye for international-level talent and has produced content that has screened in competition at A-list festivals such as Cannes, SXSW, LFF and Tribeca and been bought by the BBC and Sky.  Michelle’s previous company, Escape Films, was the recipient of a received a BFI Vision Award.

How will the online event work?

This event will be live streamed via Zoom.us. Viewing details will be sent via your confirmation.

Attending participants will not be visible to others and will be muted throughout the session. After the talk, there will be an opportunity for audience members to ask questions by using the Q&A feature.

This event is for existing WFTV members only.

If you are not a member and would like to join, membership costs just £100 + VAT/yr , please click here or email admin@wftv.org.uk

At WFTV we’re really keen to ensure that all our events are accessible for everyone. So if you have any particular access requirements, please can you let us know before an event and we will do our best to accommodate you. We would be grateful if you can give us as much notice as possible – please contact admin@wftv.org.uk