Mela Chiraghan – A Few Rhymes is an annual celebration commemorating the death anniversary of the Punjabi Sufi poet and saint Shah Hussain, who lived in Lahore in the 16th century. With the arrival of spring, a diverse array of subaltern groups seeking wish fulfilment, blessings of the saint, states of ecstasy and union with the divine flock to the poet’s shrine, where they engage in devotional rituals.
Danyal Rasheed is a cinematographer, director and producer in Lahore. In 2010 he founded his production company Dhaara Films. His projects include: NOOR (2012, 78 min, assistant director), a road movie about the identity crisis of a trans man, showcased at Festival du Cannes; NIGHTLIFE (2013, 10 min, cinematography), short portrait of a male child sex-worker; A WALNUT TREE (2015, 81 min, cinematography) depicts an old man in a displaced persons’ camp of the war ridden FATA region, exploring themes of justice, trauma and desperation.
