Team Neemopani
Pakistan has officially picked Hanging by a Wire as its entry for the Oscars Best International Feature 2027. The documentary, directed by Mohammad Ali Naqvi, retells the 2023 Battagram cable car rescue, and it is the first time Pakistan has ever sent a documentary to this Oscar category.
It joins a crowded field that includes Denmark’s Woman Unknown, Italy’s The Spiral and France’s Minotaur. Here is everything you need to know about Pakistan’s Oscar entry, the competition, and the dates to watch.
Pakistan’s Oscar Entry 2027: Hanging by a Wire
Pakistan’s Academy Selection Committee chose Hanging by a Wire ahead of the 1 October submission deadline. The film follows the August 2023 incident in Battagram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when a chairlift snapped a cable and left eight people, six of them schoolchildren, dangling roughly 900 feet above the Jhangri River. After hours of military and local rescue efforts, everyone was brought down safely. (Neemopani covered the Battagram cable car rescue as it happened.)
Naqvi wrote and produced the film with Bilal Sami, as a Pakistani, American and British co-production with Universal Pictures Content Group on board. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has since screened at Sydney, Tribeca and Seattle. Naqvi has said he wants the film to show the world the potential of Pakistani cinema, according to 24 News HD.
Quick Facts
| Film | Hanging by a Wire (documentary) |
| Director | Mohammad Ali Naqvi |
| Writers / producers | Mohammad Ali Naqvi, Bilal Sami |
| Story | 2023 Battagram cable car rescue, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Premiere | Sundance Film Festival |
| Category | Best International Feature Film, 2027 Oscars |
| First for Pakistan | First documentary ever submitted in this category |
Oscars Best International Feature 2027: Other Big Submissions
Pakistan is up against some of the year’s most decorated films. Notable entries so far include:
| Country | Film | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Woman Unknown | May el-Toukhy |
| Romania | Fjord | Cristian Mungiu |
| France | Minotaur | Andrey Zvyagintsev |
| Poland | Fatherland | Paweł Pawlikowski |
| Germany | Everytime | Sandra Wollner |
| Italy | The Spiral | Paolo Strippoli |
| India | Gondhal | – |
| Bangladesh | Roid | Mejbaur Rahman Sumon |
Source: Outlook India. Several of these are big festival winners, including Cannes Palme d’Or winner Fjord, so the field is tough.
Pakistan’s Oscar History
Since its first entry in 1959, Pakistan has submitted 13 films to this category and has never received a nomination. The closest it came was Saim Sadiq’s Joyland (2022), which made the Oscar shortlist. More recently, films like In Flames have kept Pakistani cinema on the international festival circuit, and Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali opened a Seattle festival this year.
2027 Oscars Key Dates
- 1 October 2026: submission deadline (passed)
- 15 December 2026: shortlist announcement
- 21 January 2027: nominations
If Hanging by a Wire makes the December shortlist, it will match Joyland‘s best-ever result for Pakistan.
FAQs
What is Pakistan’s Oscar entry for 2027?
Pakistan’s entry is Hanging by a Wire, a documentary by Mohammad Ali Naqvi about the 2023 Battagram cable car rescue.
Has Pakistan ever been nominated for Best International Feature?
No. Pakistan has submitted 13 films since 1959 without a nomination. Joyland (2022) reached the shortlist.
What did Denmark submit for the 2027 Oscars?
Denmark submitted Woman Unknown, directed by May el-Toukhy.
When will the 2027 Oscar shortlist be announced?
The Best International Feature shortlist is due on 15 December 2026, with nominations on 21 January 2027.
Final Word
A true Pakistani rescue story, told as a documentary and backed by a Sundance premiere, gives Pakistan one of its most distinctive Oscar entries yet. The first real test comes with the shortlist on 15 December.
Sources: 24 News HD, Outlook India, Screen Daily
