Few countries were as strongly shaped by cultural clichés as Pakistan. The festival “From Inside to Way Out” sought to counter these common misrepresentations by showcasing a hybrid, at times queer, transcultural present of Pakistan. The three-day program over Pentecost weekend (May 13–15) brought together works by artists who uncovered surprising connections between Karachi and Berlin.
It was a program by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin in cooperation with Andi and Hannes Teichmann.
The first of three thematic panel discussions focused on the history and current state of Pakistani cinema. Legendary film director Salmaan Peerzada from Lahore spoke with Berlin-based author Peter Pannke, and Shireen Pasha, head of the film department at the National College of Arts, presented contemporary short films from Pakistan together with Fouzia Usufzay.
On the second evening, the discussion turned to the possibilities of civil resistance in contemporary Karachi, using the example of “The Second Floor” (T2F), a project initiated by human rights activist Sabeen Mahmud, who had been murdered in 2015. Her mother, Mahenaz Mahmud, joined artists Bani Abidi, Khaula Jamil, Daniel Arthur Panjwaneey, and Andi Teichmann to reflect on her legacy and impact.
The final evening featured documentary films by Till Passow and Sadaat Munir, exploring contemporary expressions of identity that transcended conventional boundaries while remaining connected to ancient traditions.
A photo exhibition by Khaula Jamil and Pablo Lauf accompanied the festival. In front of HAU2, artists Sonya Schönberger and Shahana Rajani presented an audiowalk, merging their long-term research with eyewitness accounts from the 1947 Partition of India and World War II in Europe.
A highlight of the weekend was the live concert featuring 12 musicians from Karachi and Berlin, celebrating the release of the electronic album “Karachi Files”, recorded during a Soundcamp organized by the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with the Gebrüder Teichmann and the Forever South collective.
The festival concluded with a revival of the popular Pakistani late-night talk show “Begum Tonight”, which had been taken off the air under government pressure. Host Ali Saleem, performing as his drag persona Begum Nawazish, welcomed a variety of illustrious guests on the stage of HAU1.