This event will take place at 17:15–18:15 BST, and will be held in person only.
Wood, Spice and Dough is a moving short documentary set in Pakistan’s Hunza Valley, tracing the lives of three women who chose to reimagine their futures.
Against the backdrop of societal expectations placed upon them as daughters, wives and mothers, each woman charts a different path: one trains as a carpenter, another becomes a chef, and the third opens a food stall. Through their work—shaping wood, blending spice, and preparing dough—they build new lives for themselves and their families.
The film is both an intimate portrait of resilience and a meditation on creativity, labour, and self-determination. Rooted in the landscapes and communities of Hunza, the documentary reflects on what it means to step beyond prescribed roles and pursue one’s own sense of purpose.
This in-person event will include a screening of selected scenes from the film, along with some context from the filmmaker on what she has been aiming to achieve through her work, and time for audience questions.
Moderator
Saad Barcha
GPISH 2025
Saad Barcha is a PhD candidate in Music at the University of Oxford and a Farhad Daftary Doctoral Scholar. His research focuses on the musical traditions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, with particular attention to Hareep, its practitioners, and the oral processes through which musical knowledge is transmitted. His work seeks to document and preserve this repertoire while examining the social histories and cultural contexts that have shaped its development.
Speaker
Sarah Jehaan Khan
Climate policy researcher
Sarah Jehaan Khan studied Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford before pursuing a career in climate policy research in Pakistan. Alongside her research work, she has received recognition for her documentary films addressing environmental and social themes.
In 2025, she was selected as the youngest participant in the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Residency, a programme for global thought leaders. Wood, Spice and Dough reflects her longstanding connection to Hunza, where she once lived, and stands as an ode to its landscape and people.
