The Pakistan Oscars 2026 entry is the documentary Hanging by a Wire, selected for the
International Feature Film category. The Pakistan Academy Selection Committee chose the film,
marking the first time a documentary has represented Pakistan in this category. The
announcement was made by committee deputy chair Sana Zahra Jafri. Directed by Mohammed
Ali Naqvi, the film was written and produced with Bilal Sami. It revisits the August 2023
Battagram cable car emergency in northern Pakistan. Eight passengers, including six
schoolboys, became trapped about 900 feet above a ravine after a cable snapped. The rescue
operation received widespread attention across Pakistan as rescuers worked to bring everyone
to safety.

Hanging by a Wire tells the story through witness footage, survivor testimonies and recreated
scenes involving people connected with the rescue. The documentary premiered at the 2026
Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition. It later screened at the
Tribeca Festival and other events. The film was made by EverWonder Studio, Universal Pictures
Content Group, Mindhouse Productions and 64th Street Media. Dogwoof holds its UK theatrical
rights, while Abramorama handles its US theatrical release. The documentary is scheduled to
begin streaming on Paramount Plus on October 28.

The selection is an important moment for Pakistani filmmaking as this is the country’s first
documentary submission. Pakistan first submitted a film in 1959 and has made 13 entries
without receiving a nomination. Saim Sadiq’s Joyland became Pakistan’s first entry to reach the
Oscar shortlist in 2022. Hanging by a Wire enters the international competition and brings a real
Pakistani rescue story to global audiences. Its selection gives viewers an opportunity to learn
about the Battagram emergency through real footage and dramatic reconstruction. The
submission represents another step for Pakistani cinema.

Source: Pakistan Academy Selection Committee

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