Moklani – The Last Mohanas has become the first Pakistani film to win an award at the Jackson Wild Media Awards, an event often regarded as the natural history counterpart to the Oscars.
The film won in the Global Voices Category, selected from a record-breaking pool of over 500 submissions. More than 200 international judges reviewed over 1,000 hours of media before announcing the winners.
Directed and produced by Jawad Sharif, an award-winning filmmaker, Moklani tells the story of the Mohana of Manchar Lake – an indigenous fisher folk community in Pakistan whose centuries-old lifestyle now faces multiple threats.
The Mohana community struggles with declining water levels, toxic pollution, and the gradual disappearance of its cultural identity. The film captures the gravity of these challenges with a focus on both visual detail and human experience.
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Produced by Jawad Sharif Films, with the support of the National Geographic Society and Climate Kahani, Moklani documents a community at risk of cultural extinction. It reflects the broader climate challenges affecting Pakistan.
Sharif said the film draws attention to a community the world risks overlooking. Their story reveals the pressing realities of climate disruption and cultural erosion. The recognition, he said, belongs to the Mohana people.
The awards ceremony took place on Thursday, 2 October 2025, at the Center for the Arts in Jackson, Wyoming.
The Jackson Wild Media Awards represent one of the highest honours in natural history storytelling, recognising excellence in nature, science and conservation filmmaking.
