Matekulli

Balochistan is a land that can effectively be described as rich; in history, culture, resources and most importantly the hearts of its people that manage to find a corner of happiness in the harsh conditions fate dealt them.

Surrounded by the mountains of the Bolan pass and adjacent to the first railway track in Balochistan, lies Mach, a town famous for its jail and the coal mines.

Photographs for a news story led me to this town and it’s gems of underage coal miners. I spent time with these children on and off camera, absorbed their surroundings and when I left, their stories and their determination to soldier on through life with a smile came with me, eventually they made me come back. I couldn’t deny the lure of how these children, witty and intelligent, with wisdom beyond their age, had made peace with their life.

My time spent with these children off-screen cemented our bond and helped them open up about their personal life and share their experiences and aspirations. This documentary escaped the traditional narrative of documenting. I want to not only inform the viewers but make them experience the film.

The situation around which the film revolves is a sad fact that has affected a lot of lives but I believe that it is imperative that the film show the beauty and joy that is the spirit of these children that remain strong and unbroken despite their challenging life.