Waiting for Sunrise (2005) User Reviews

Waiting for Sunrise is about the lives of impoverished children in Pakistan

[joherrm · 8/10 · 14 January 2013]

Waiting for Sunrise is both powerful and sensitive. Its power lies in the film's unflinching look at the lives of the poverty stricken street children of Pakistan. It does so, though, with a sensitivity which allows each child to tell his story with a dignity and honesty which engenders a deep sympathy in those who hear the children's stories.

The viewer cannot fail to identify with the children's plight, which the camera brings up close and personal. Yet, at the same time, the children, themselves, show an intelligence and courage, which is touching, considering their circumstances. Their lives are grim, indeed, and yet there is hope.

An elder expresses deep and warm regard for the children, which, after hearing their stories is understandable, for who then with any feelings at all could not care about them? In this lies their hope, one that seems fragile as presented by the film, but also seems possible. Nevertheless, the film leaves the viewer with a sense of hope, rather than despair, which is the hallmark of any great work of art. That the filmmaker achieves this with a delicate and unobtrusive touch is remarkable. I will be looking forward to seeing more work by this filmmaker. Aneel Ahmad.

A must see documentary

[cinenoor · 9/10 · 14 January 2013]

Sometimes, pictures do not do justice to the reality we see with our own eyes. In this case, words just cannot do justice to what Aneel Ahmad has delivered to us with "Waiting for Sunrise". The raw emotion that one feels when they watch an Aneel Ahmad film or documentary is a trademark occurrence, and this one is no exception. What is exceptional is how skilled he is, in such an extraordinarily short time, at showing the enormous number of details of a life of abject poverty in Pakistan. This documentary goes far beyond what the normal filmmaker captures of the standard street scenes or despondent faces. It is replete with heart wrenching details of the geographical, psychological, sociological and physical nature and consequences of poverty. At once we feel disgust and horror for what humans allow their brethren to endure in this world. At the same time we admire those enduring this hell as they hold back the tears and exhibit sometimes an amazing spirited strength and determination. An unbelievable daily resilience emerges that carefully guards a beauty that lies deep within their hearts and just beneath the surface of their blood-, sweat- and tear-streaked faces (or sometimes scarred and track-lined bodies). If they can't prevent thieves from absconding with their pittances, at least these poor souls can keep that heart and what dignity they in any possible way have managed to build. I felt like I should watch this documentary more than once. I've learned that the scheme of this documentary was restricted to just six minutes and I hope Aneel can make a longer documentary later. But with a six- minute length, there's plenty of time to watch it again and it SHOULD be watched by everyone... again... and again... and again... until humankind gets it through their heads and into their hearts that the worst - and possibly easiest - preventable disease on earth is poverty. I highly recommend watching "Waiting for Sunrise" and let it be a mirror view of your own conscience.

eye-opening

[amrain24 · 8/10 · 14 January 2013]

In a world where so many of us would rather turn a blind eye to the pain of the countless dis-empowered, it is refreshing that there is a film maker that is taking time out to give them a voice for us to hear. Ahmed has taken on the harrowing topic with sensitivity and I applaud him for honouring what any film maker needs to keep in mind, that we are story tellers and we have a unique position from which to channel the stories of others, to bring them to light.Well done Aneel! Thought provoking, not easy to watch because of the realities these kids face, but very necessary. In an India that is currently reeling in the wake of the brutal gang rape of the late medical student, we have forgotten the nameless many that face this ordeal daily, the poverty stricken children of India. Lets hope they find Justice too!

Short and powerful account

[cvail73 · 10/10 · 15 January 2013]

A very short film on a very powerful subject, the children are shown talking freely and with a contained anger. We tend to forget, a useful reminder that there are some things we ought to worry about out there, it's not so far away. Well treated subject, even though I can't agree with the commenter who proposes to make the children aware of existing risks and protections against aids and STDs. Nothing to do with the children, it's the rapists that need education, and starting from scratch. I would have liked to know if rapists and thieves are caught and punished? I'd love to see another six minutes about that. I am very much Looking forward to Aneel Ahmad's next documentary. The documentary is very much self contained and complete. It is filmed mainly in close-ups and gets us right in the head of the characters and draws us immediately into their stories and the intensity of the subject.

Disturbing Yet Powerful short documentary

[candybar786 · 10/10 · 14 January 2013]

Waiting for Sunrise is a Powerhouse of a documentary. I would vote this even higher if i could on IMDb Now this documentary is seriously disturbing yet very powerful. I just recently got to watch this short, even though it was made in 2005.

Aneel Ahmad's documentary is a true portrayal of how poor children live in Lahore Pakistan, and it sure does pack a punch. Some of the images were really disturbing and it really does show how we need to help and change society for the better.

There are so many poor people in 3rd world countries that live in extreme poverty, and fall into the trap of serious drug abuse. This short documentary shows those very horrors and I'm still kind of in shock while writing this review.

Well done to the director Aneel Ahmad, clearly all your body of work is so powerful and this one is seriously really worth viewing.

A deeply disturbing short documentary that stays with you 10-10

Exposing The Truth

[coastal_casting · 9/10 · 18 January 2013]

This is an excellent film by Producer/Director, Aneel Ahmad. It's a real view into the lives of so many people living and suffering in extreme poverty.

Hopefully it will help raise awareness of the need for social change to help these people get jobs, grow food and have a decent quality of life.

It's amazing how the children still play unaware perhaps of the difficult life they face.

Thank you Aneel for making another film promoting social change and exposing the reality of so many people around the world. Great photography and direction! Please keep up the good work.

Extreme poverty

[bacphotography · 7/10 · 14 January 2013]

I can fully understand how "Waiting for Sunrise" has won the UNICEF award for Best short film and also got shortlisted for one of the film world's most distinguished awards - the Grierson Awards for documentary in 2006. Poverty, child abuse and self harm are all covered in the documentary and such is the social realism of the film that it leaves us with a very visual implant in our thoughts. The young child's scars reflect the inner pain from abuse and the film makes no apologies for it's directness and treatment of such subjects. Nothing is implied, we are given an honest piece of documentary, which although may leave some of us; i believe, with a sense of hopelessness, the director, at least, has done their job and left us informed. I highly recommend this short documentary, we should not hide from what we cannot see, nor should we want to.