Seemab Gul’s film about a girl investigating her village school’s closure is scheduled for an October 30 release after a legal challenge to Sindh’s censorship restrictions.
KARACHI — WEB DESK: The Pakistani film Ghost School, which explores the challenges facing education in Sindh, is scheduled to release in cinemas across Sindh and Punjab on October 30, following a three-month legal dispute over censorship restrictions in the province.
The film, written and directed by British-Pakistani filmmaker Seemab Gul, faced obstacles after the Sindh Board of Film Censors demanded changes to several expressions and scenes. The filmmakers challenged the restrictions before the Sindh High Court (SHC), which set aside most of the proposed cuts and directed the board to reconsider certification under the applicable rules.
Why was Ghost School facing a release delay?
The dispute centred on the provincial censor board’s objections to eight items in the film, which was seeking certification for public exhibition.
The disputed material included certain expressions, a child’s abusive remark and scenes involving the burning of a school and books. The filmmakers argued that the restrictions lacked adequate legal justification.
In its October ruling, the Sindh High Court found that the board had not adequately explained the grounds for most of the proposed cuts. The court set aside the disputed decision except for one excision to which the filmmakers had agreed, and directed the board to reconsider certification within 10 days.
The court also required the board to provide a reasoned decision if it believed a higher certification category was necessary.
What is Ghost School about?
The story follows Rabia, a 10-year-old girl who tries to discover why the only school in her village has suddenly closed.
Rumours that the school is haunted become central to the mystery, prompting Rabia to investigate what lies behind its closure. Through her journey, the film draws attention to non-functional schools, barriers to education and the difficulties girls face in accessing schooling in rural communities.
Rather than focusing solely on the supernatural rumours surrounding the building, the film uses the story to explore wider social and educational concerns in Sindh.
Director welcomes the opportunity for Sindh audiences
Gul has expressed happiness over the prospect of the film reaching audiences in Sindh, where its subject matter has particular relevance.
The film had already received international exposure before its planned domestic release. It was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and shown in cinemas in Germany, according to published reports.
Cinematographer Zamarin Wahdat, a German filmmaker born in Afghanistan, has also spoken about the personal significance of girls’ education and women’s rights to her work. Reports say she did not accept payment for her cinematography work on the film because of her commitment to its subject.
Why the film matters
The release of Ghost School could bring renewed public attention to the issue of schools that are closed or not functioning effectively, particularly in communities where educational opportunities for girls remain limited.
The legal dispute has also raised broader questions about film censorship, freedom of expression and the need for authorities to justify restrictions under the law.
The film’s scheduled October 30 release would give audiences in Sindh an opportunity to watch a story rooted in the province’s social realities.
