Bhutto

The Bhuttos are regarded as the Kennedys of Pakistan, but with even more drama and tragedy.

And this documentary profile of the late Benazir Bhutto, directed by Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara, takes you right to the centre of it all.

Amanda Palmer and Bhutto filmmaker  Duane Baughman

The filmmakers claim to have spent the largest archival budget ($250,000) in film history in bringing this story vividly to life, including long-forgotten footage salvaged from the files of military dictators.

It is a multi-generational saga, and although the film is a bit “soft” towards Benazir and her family, including her corruption-tainted husband Asif Ali “Mr. Ten Per cent” Zardari, who became Pakistan’s president after the assassination of his wife, it is a riveting story that should not be missed.

Duane Baughman, an American political strategist turned first-time filmmaker, joins Amanda Palmer, Al Jazeera’s head of entertainment, and the FPS audience for a look at this extraordinary woman – the first female ever elected head of a Muslim state -who changed forever the political landscape of the Muslim world.

DIY Horror

In Dead Hungry Bridges chose to focus not on the terrified survivors but on the zombies

It is a scientific fact that if a nascent filmmaker wants his or her first production to have maximum impact, the most tried-and-true route is via the horror film. 

We follow ambitious first-time director Will Bridges every step of the way as he tries to launch Dead Hungry, a romantic zombie epic. 

Will’s aim was to subvert the traditional zombie flick. “I thought it would be interesting to take a character who, in any normal B-movie zombie film, is in the background, and give him a story,” he says.

We follow Will and his mate John Drever as, equipped with little more than passion, perseverance, a fresh idea and a small army of faithful friends, they try to pull off a serious production on a silly budget – stretching every penny to produce a strikingly stylish short that they hope will serve as a cinematic calling card strong enough to convince future film financiers that they might just be the next big thing in Britfilm. 

Sound of Noise

Sound of Noise: Six musicians launch a ‘musical attack’ using the city as their instrument

Described as “Bonnie and Clyde on drums,” Sound of Noise is a hilariously surreal new Swedish musical.

Outlaws Sanna and Magnus mastermind an absurd series of music gigs. With a gang of rhythm-hungry anarchists at their command, they turn the city into one giant percussion-fest. 

And of course, it would not be complete without a tone-deaf copper, aptly named Amadeus, hot on their heels. 

This sui generis extravaganza is the creation of filmmakers Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson.

FPS speaks to Nilsson about the how, what and “huh?” of committing such memorable moments to celluloid.

This episode of The Fabulous Picture Show can be seen from Thursday, November 11, 2010, at the following times GMT: Thursday: 0630, 1430; Friday: 0300; Saturday: 0830, 1630; Sunday: 0130, 1230, 2130; Tuesday: 1930; Wednesday: 0030, 0730.