The 7th KaraFilm Festival – Karachi International Film Festival 2009 – which kicked off on February 4th, drew to a close on Sunday, 15th February, with an informal closing ceremony attended by celebrities, filmmakers, foreign mission representatives and film aficionados where the jury awards were announced. The closing ceremony, scaled down in size from the 6th KaraFilm Festival because of a resource crunch, followed a boisterous last screening of the feel-good American film "Mamma Mia!" based on the songs of the Swedish pop group Abba. The closing capped 12 days of screenings and events that showcased over 140 films from the 230 odd films initially selected. Films from some 44 countries participated in Pakistan's premiere international film festival.

The Best Feature film award went to Nandita Das' unreleased film "Firaaq" which screened at the Festival on Saturday and Sunday as the Closing Gala Film. The Festival jury cited the film for "its brutal honesty and candour" and its "optimism about generating a larger understanding for resolving conflicts and humanity itself." It also expressly emphasized that while "many people might mistakenly believe, especially given the current state of relations between the governments of Pakistan and India, that the choice of Firaaq is an attempt by a festival based in Pakistan to embarrass India regarding its record in Gujarat", that  the jury's "reasons for choosing Firaaq as the best feature film of the 7th KaraFilm Festival are far removed from such politicking." In a special note about its choice, the jury pointed out that "in the end, the film clearly advocates the need not to turn away or indeed to run away, but to stay behind and fight bigotry with all the dignity and determination that communities can muster", also citing  Firaaq as "a testament to the power of cinema to fill a vacuum in public discourse."

Indian filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Nandita Das attended the closing ceremony along with Pakistani filmmakers such as Mazhar Moin and Faseeh Bari Khan, whose film "Burnes Road Ki Nilofer" picked up two awards. In her acceptance speech, director and actor Nandita Das said that she had been slightly apprehensive about bringing the film to Pakistan only because it might have been perceived as "pandering to the converted". However, she said the response she had received had actually been so nuanced and engaged that her faith in the KaraFilm Festival – which she first attended in 2001 with her film "Bawandar" (Sandstorm) – had been reaffirmed.

In fact, in a positive development for Pakistani talent, many Pakistani filmmakers won Ciepies (the KaraFilm Festival awards) at the 7th KaraFilm Festival, including for Best Live Action Short (Maheen Zia / "Match Factor"), Best Animated Short (Meezan Ali Mir / "Sam", shared award), Best Supporting Actress (Hina Dilpazir Khan / "Burnes Road Ki Nilofer"), Best Supporting Actor (Rasheed Naz / "Khuda Ke Liye"), Best Screenplay (Faseeh Bari Khan / "Burnes Road Ki Nilofer") and a Special Jury Award for Acting (Rashid Farooqui / "Ramchand Pakistani"). Many Pakistani films were also cited as strong contenders for other awards. The Irani film "Khoon Bazi" (Mainline) won awards for the Best Actress as well as a special jury prize for overall film. The Turkish film "Beynelmilel" (The International) also picked up two awards, including for Best Actor and Best Direction. Other recipients in the feature competition were German director Fatih Akin's "Auf der Anderen Seite" (The Edge of Heaven) and Italian director Emanuele Crielese's "Nuovomondo" (The Golden Door). India's documentary "Superman of Malegaon" by Faiza Ahmed Khan shared the Best Documentary award with Finnish director Iris Olsson's "Kesan Lapsi" (Summerchild). The Ciepie for the Best Live Action Short went to Pakistani director Maheen Zia's film "Match Factor" produced in Germany, while the Best Animated Short award was tied between "Meme les pigeons vont au paradis" (Even Pigeons Go To Heaven) by Ale Camargo from France and "Sam" by Meezan Ali Mir from Pakistan.

Both Rashid Farooqi and Hina Dilpazir Khan in their acceptance speeches thanked the KaraFilm Festival for creating a platform where real creativity could be recognized purely on merit. Faseeh Bari Khan, who received the award for the Best Screenplay cited Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's Saaransh as the beginning of his journey in scriptwriting. Mahesh Bhatt, who was honoured by the Festival for his steadfast support and his efforts to bring the artists of the two countries together, related a story about how while visiting a shop earlier in the day, he had been approached by a shopkeeper for help in contacting a neurosurgeon for his ailing brother. He said he had called up a doctor friend on the spot and connected the two parties together and said this was an example of how festivals such as Kara helped bring the people of both countries together. He also spoke fondly of his meeting with the ailing ghazal maestro Mehdi Hasan, who he visited at the hospital. "The bond that we shared was a genuine one and I will forever treasure his smile as he looked at me."

German filmmaker Andre Hoermann and Indian filmmaker Meenu Gaur who served on the jury were also thanked for their support. Andre Hoermann said he had enjoyed his stay in Karachi very much and would take "good news from Pakistan" back to Germany.

The Festival Director Hasan Zaidi in his closing remarks particularly thanked the 'Friends of Kara' who stepped forward to donate money so that the 7th KaraFilm Festival could take place in very trying circumstances this year. He also thanked the City District Government of Karachi and especially the Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal for all his support and facilitation, as well as the Governor of Sindh, Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad, and the Sindh Government and its Ministry of Culture and the Sindh Police for extending all out support. He also announced that the Sindh Minister of Culture Ms. Sassui Palijo had very graciously announced a grant of one million rupees for the KaraFilm Society to meet the costs of the Festival this year.

At the closing, the Festival Organizing Committee comprising Hasan Zaidi, Maheen Zia, Tahera Hasan and Adnan Malik also paid tribute to the volunteers and staff who helped run the Festival as well as the sponsors and supporters whose belief in the Festival helped make it possible. Certificates were also handed out to the projection staff.

The 7th KaraFilm Festival was partnered by IGI Financial Services, Getz Pharma, Box Office, Dawn, Bose Sound, G4S Security and City FM89 in addition to the City District Government of Karachi and the Government of Sindh's Ministry of Culture.  The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, Nishat Cinema, the Embassy of Sweden, the Goethe Institut and the Consulate General of Italy were among the supporting partners of the Festival. In addition, Samsung DWP, Nando's Pakistan and KarachiSnob.com provided invaluable support.