CEGA is calling on animators to turn Pakistan’s history, heritage, culture and spirit of freedom into short animations as part of a challenge titled Threads of Independence, marking the country’s 79th birthday. The initiative asks participating animators to take iconic Pakistani heritage assets and transform them into short animated pieces, bringing history into motion through a distinctly creative and technical medium rather than a conventional written or visual retrospective.
Submissions for the challenge open shortly and are open to animators working in Karachi and Lahore, with entries required in a 9:16 vertical format and submitted as MP4 or MOV files, a format suited to short form, mobile first viewing. The deadline for submissions is set for August 12 at midnight, giving participating animators a relatively short but defined window to conceive, produce and submit their work ahead of the cutoff.
Selected animations received through the submission process will be showcased at CEGA Karachi and Lahore on August 13, giving participating animators a chance to see their work presented publicly and to connect with fellow creators working within the same challenge. This showcase element adds a communal and celebratory dimension to what might otherwise be a purely competitive submission process, framing the event as much about bringing together Pakistan’s animation community as it is about the individual submissions themselves.
The challenge reflects CEGA’s continued focus on using its network of trained and incubated animators to produce culturally resonant creative work tied to significant national moments, positioning Independence Day as an opportunity to showcase the practical capabilities being developed through its training and incubation programmes. Rather than treating the anniversary as a purely commemorative occasion, CEGA has framed it as a prompt for animators to actively engage with the country’s heritage through their craft.
The initiative is supported by Ignite and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, alongside collaborators including HUM Network, Techsol Space, LUMS Centre for Entrepreneurship, Sablo Studio, SectionSoft and Agon, reflecting a mix of media, academic and creative industry partners backing the challenge. Animators interested in participating are encouraged to prepare their submissions ahead of the August 12 deadline for a chance to have their work featured at the showcase events in Karachi and Lahore.
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