Rani wins Outstanding Writer Award at the NBC Universal Short Film Festival

Photo: GrayScale Pakistani film Rani won the Outstanding Writer Award at the prestigious NBC Universal Short Film Festival in Los Angeles. Rani is a story about a transgender Pakistani woman who sets out to take care of an abandoned child. Written and directed by Hammad Rizvi, the film stars Kami Sid, Maaz Khan and Hina Pathani. It has been produced by Akbar Allana and Sara Siddiqi. The film previously won the Fox Inclusion Award at Outfest LA and has screened at numerous festivals, including the Newport Beach Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, New York Asian American Film Festival and Seattle Tasveer. Related: Perween Rahman: The Rebel Optimist wins award in India Lead actress Sid became Pakistan's first transgender model after filming the movie. She is an equal rights leader and ambassador for the region's LGBTQ community. Rizvi is a Pakistani-American writer and director, currently working in Los Angeles. Having lived in various parts of the world, his films often tackle topics that are as diverse as they are raw.