Pakistani Doc Explores Sufi Trance in Sehwan

Pakistani filmmaker Umair Bilal's debut feature, 'As Light as Air,' will world premiere on August 11 at the Locarno Film Festival. This experimental documentary invites audiences into the hypnotic spiritual world of Sehwan, Pakistan, a Sufi city shaped by pilgrimage and collective ecstasy.

The film explores how pilgrims and seekers arrive in Sehwan with their hopes and grief, finding solace and surrender through music and devotion. Director Umair Bilal described his personal connection to the city, influenced by his mother's Sufi practices, and his fascination with spaces offering transcendental experiences and sanctuary from daily life.

Bilal initially approached filming as an observer, seeking to understand ancient rituals. However, by immersing himself in the town's rhythm and surrendering to its spiritual essence, he began to feel the space and became part of its unique flow. The film promises a meditative and trance-like quality, offering a unique cinematic exploration of Sufism.