"Director Jami successfully translates a simple yet triumphant storyline into a deliciously crafted movie. 'Moor' sparkles with an artistic splendour – what Byron would have termed as the grandeur of a dream." – Global website Blasting News

"All in all, Jami manages to pull off the impossible with Moor. He grants us a true Pakistani film sans being pretentious or preachy and makes the much rural and suburban concept of ‘love for your motherland’ moving for urban audiences." – The Express Tribune, Pakistan

With such reviews, it follows that the Pakistani drama Moor is among movies from 81 nations in consideration for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. On January 16, director Jami will be in at the Angelika Theater & Café in Plano for the Texas premiere of his well-received film. Council President Jim Falk will moderate a conversation with the director after the screening of his film.

The director – seamlessly moving from successful music videos and commercials to feature-length motion pictures – is a native of Karachi who studied film in Pasadena, Ca., at the Art Centre College of Design. The popularity of his work transformed him from Jamshed Mahmood Razi to the more famously known "Jami."

His latest film is Moor – the title is from the Pashto word meaning "Mother." Jami both wrote and directed this story of the power of women in the Pakistani culture. The film focuses on an attempt by a "poor train station master of a small remote town" to cope with life after the unexpected death of his wife. The story plays out as sinister forces threaten to destroy the railway system in Pakistan.

The premiere is presented by Indie Meme and the World Affairs Council.

Indie Meme, an Austin-based film distributor, was formed to promote films from South Asia. It is a sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance, supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department.