Pakistan’s documentary filmmakers continue to shine on the global stage as Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Mohammed Ali Naqvi earn prestigious Emmy nominations for their powerful contributions to nonfiction storytelling.
Obaid-Chinoy’s latest documentary, Diane von Fürstenberg: Woman in Charge, which premiered on Hulu in June 2024, has been nominated in the Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary category. Directed alongside Trish Dalton, the film chronicles the remarkable life and legacy of iconic fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg — the woman behind the revolutionary wrap dress.
The two-time Oscar winner expressed her excitement on Instagram: “This was truly a labour of love… Grateful beyond words to be heading to the Emmys with this phenomenal team!” Earlier this year, the film earned the Cinema for Peace Dove Award for Women’s Empowerment, recognizing its inspiring portrayal of resilience and entrepreneurship in a male-dominated industry.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Ali Naqvi has earned his fourth Emmy nomination, this time in the Outstanding Historical Documentary category, for his role as executive producer on the Netflix docuseries Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War. Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the nine-part series explores the geopolitical aftermath of the Cold War and features exclusive interviews with figures like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former CIA Director Robert Gates.
The series ranked among Netflix’s most-watched originals, clocking over 621 million streaming minutes in just a few weeks.
Naqvi, known for earlier works like The Accused: Damned or Devoted? and Shame, shared: “It’s an incredible honour to be nominated again. To tell stories that travel across borders on the global stage is a privilege I don’t take lightly.” He is also a Concordia Fellow, co-founder of the Crescent Collective, and chair of the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee.
Together, Obaid-Chinoy and Naqvi’s latest nominations spotlight the rising global impact of Pakistani storytellers and reinforce the country’s growing presence in international documentary filmmaking.
