Naqvi told Deadline that he was honoured by the selection and expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee.

Pakistan has selected Mo Naqvi’s documentary thriller Hanging By a Wire as its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.

The selection marks the first time Pakistan has chosen a documentary for the International Feature Film category, making the film’s Oscar submission a milestone for Pakistani documentary filmmaking.

‘Hanging By a Wire’ Tells Story of Battagram Cable Car Rescue

Directed by Mo Naqvi and written and produced by Naqvi and Bilal Sami, Hanging By a Wire recounts the dramatic August 2023 cable car emergency in Battagram, northern Pakistan.

Six schoolchildren and two adults were left stranded around 900 feet above the ground after a cable snapped, triggering a major rescue operation that drew national and international attention.

The documentary combines eyewitness footage, survivor testimony and cinematic reconstructions featuring individuals involved in the rescue effort.

Naqvi told Deadline that he was honoured by the selection and expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee.

“It’s a straight-up disaster film, except it really happened, and you’re watching real footage of it unfolding live,” Naqvi said, according to Deadline.

He added that members of the local community filmed the incident themselves and entrusted him with the footage, describing them as co-authors of the film in a real sense.

Documentary Highlights Rescue and Community Resilience

According to Naqvi, Hanging By a Wire also focuses on resilience and resourcefulness displayed during the rescue operation.

Sana Zahra Jafri, deputy chairperson of the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee, described the selection as a historic moment for Pakistani documentary filmmaking.

Jafri said the film brings an extraordinary story from northern Pakistan into the International Feature Film Oscar race.

Film Premiered at Sundance Film Festival

Hanging By a Wire premiered in the World Cinema Documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

The documentary has subsequently screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival.

The film is produced by EverWonder Studio, Universal Pictures Content Group, Mindhouse Productions and 64th Street Media.

Pakistan’s selection puts Hanging By a Wire into consideration for the 99th Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category, following its festival run and international exposure.