Acclaimed Pakistani filmmaker Mohammed Ali (Mo) Naqvi has been nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Historical Documentary for 'Turning Point: The Bomb & The Cold War', a globally recognised Netflix series he produced.
This marks Naqvi’s fourth Emmy nomination, solidifying his place as one of the most decorated Pakistani filmmakers in Emmy history.
In 2023, Naqvi made history as the first Pakistani to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy in the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category for The Accused: Damned or Devoted?.
He is also the first Pakistani ever to win the coveted Television Academy Honor, which he received in 2008 for his Showtime film Shame.
'Turning Point: The Bomb & The Cold War' is a powerful 9-part documentary series directed by Brian Knappenberger.
Filmed over two years across seven countries, the series explores the roots and aftershocks of the Cold War and their connection to today’s global crises.
It features exclusive interviews with global leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, former CIA Director Robert Gates, and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The show became an instant global success on Netflix, reaching #3 in the Netflix Original Series chart, with more than 621 million minutes streamed in its first few weeks.
In addition to his Emmy recognition, Naqvi is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Chairman of the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee, and co-founder of the Crescent Collective, which launched Pakistan’s official presence at the Cannes Film Festival in partnership with Global Lens Day and the American Pavilion.
Naqvi was recently named a 2025 Concordia Fellow by Concordia Studio, the Oscar-winning production company founded by Davis Guggenheim, as part of a global cohort of visionary documentary filmmakers. The fellowship recognizes filmmakers pushing boundaries and amplifying underrepresented voices in non-fiction cinema.
Mo Naqvi said he was immediately drawn to ‘Turning Point: The Bomb & The Cold War’ after being invited to join the project by Luminant Media and director Brian Knappenberger, calling it a rare opportunity to contribute to a Netflix global original while exploring pivotal historical events with a committed team.
Referring to the docuseries, Naqvi said that the series does not merely recount Cold War events but confronts them, aiming to challenge dominant narratives and uncover the ways powerful actors shaped modern global realities.
"As a co-executive producer, I had the extraordinary privilege of researching and uncovering some of the Cold War’s darkest chapters," he said.
The filmmaker highlighted specific examples, such as the CIA’s involvement in the 1953 coup against Iran’s Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, which he noted was orchestrated to protect British oil interests and had long-term destabilising consequences.
He also pointed to US-backed regime changes in Guatemala and support for proxy wars as part of a broader Cold War strategy with lingering effects in regions like Ukraine, Latin America, and South Asia.
"For me, this series is a reminder that history isn’t in the past — it’s the blueprint for our present," he said.
Speaking on his Emmy recognition, Naqvi clarified that this nomination is his fifth, including the Television Academy Honor he received in 2008 for Shame.
He described each nomination as both a personal achievement and a broader symbol of the growing recognition of Pakistani voices in global media.
"I see my role not just as a filmmaker, but as a space-maker — someone working to carve out room for more of us to be seen, heard, and valued on the world stage," he said.
Naqvi expressed hope that his work might help shift narratives and open doors for emerging Pakistani storytellers, adding, "If it opens a door for another young storyteller from Pakistan — then every frame has been worth it."
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