On October 11, the SVA Theatre in Manhattan will become the stage for a long-overdue reclamation of the Muslim narrative. The inaugural New York Muslim Film Festival (NYMFF) launches this autumn, positioning itself not merely as a celebration of culture, but as a direct, structural challenge to the flattened, often monolithic, and frequently stereotypical depictions of Muslims that have long dominated Western media.
By centering the voices of Muslim filmmakers, the festival aims to shift the paradigm: moving these stories from the periphery of “counter-narratives” to the center of the cinematic conversation.
The Genesis of a New Paradigm
For decades, the Muslim experience in film has been filtered through the lens of external observers—often relegated to roles defined by geopolitical strife, religious extremism, or the "othering" gaze of Western audiences. Hassan Babar, the festival’s artistic director, argues that the time for apologetic or reactive storytelling has passed.
“These stories should not merely serve as counter-narratives,” Babar stated during a press briefing regarding the festival’s mission. “They should be the establishing paradigm.”
This sentiment is echoed by the festival’s co-founder and director, Nawal Mubin. For Mubin, the NYMFF is a response to a vacuum in the New York cultural landscape. “This festival exists because those stories deserve a stage in this city, not on the margins of someone else’s,” she noted.
The launch of the festival marks a significant milestone for New York’s creative ecosystem, providing a dedicated space for filmmakers who have historically struggled to find distribution and visibility within the traditional industry hierarchy. By co-founding the event alongside Giuseppe de Matteis—both of whom work at the New York-based production and post-house Lost in Space—Mubin has created a bridge between independent artistry and professional-grade production support.
Chronology of the Event: A Curated Experience
The NYMFF is designed as an intensive, one-day showcase of international talent. The event is structured to facilitate both artistic appreciation and industry networking, bridging the gap between emerging talent and established power players.
The day will commence with an exclusive reception for filmmakers and industry guests, fostering an environment where creative partnerships can take root. Following the reception, the programming moves into two distinct blocks of six films each. Each block runs for approximately one hour, providing a tight, focused viewing experience that highlights the breadth of the selection.
The conclusion of the screenings will be followed by the official jury announcement and awards ceremony. This moment is particularly anticipated, as it serves as the crowning achievement for the filmmakers whose work was selected from a competitive international pool.
Supporting Data: The Scope of the Program
The inaugural lineup is defined by its diversity of form and origin. With 12 shorts selected from seven different countries, the festival showcases a global perspective that defies regional categorization. The genres represented are equally expansive, spanning documentaries, dramas, comedies, animation, and experimental pieces.
Notably, the festival has achieved a significant milestone in gender representation, with women constituting a majority of the program’s directors. This reflects a broader industry shift toward equity in filmmaking, ensuring that the female Muslim voice—often overlooked in mainstream discourse—is at the forefront of the festival’s identity.
The Jury: A Panel of Heavyweights
The credibility of the festival is anchored by a six-member jury composed of industry veterans and critically acclaimed creators.
- Aasif Mandvi: An Emmy-winning actor and long-time correspondent for The Daily Show, Mandvi brings a wealth of experience in political satire and dramatic performance, most recently noted for his work on the series Evil.
- Darine Hotait: An Arab-American writer-director and founder of Cinephilia Productions. Her work has appeared on HBO, AMC, SundanceTV, and the BBC.
- Munir Atalla: A former Netflix creative executive and current head of production and acquisitions at Watermelon Pictures, Atalla provides an essential industry perspective on distribution and content strategy.
- Abubakar Khan: A prolific producer whose work includes The Glassworker—Pakistan’s 2024 Oscar entry—and the SXSW 2023 audience award winner Mustache.
- Sarah Mokh: A Lebanese-American filmmaker and Sundance Feature Film Fellow who recently completed her debut feature, The Alchemy of Being Okay.
- Abubakr Ali: An Egyptian-American actor with a high-profile slate of upcoming projects, including roles in Bassam Tariq’s Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and Sean Durkin’s A24 film Deep Cuts.
Official Partnerships and Industry Backing
The festival is bolstered by strategic partnerships designed to provide filmmakers with tangible pathways to growth. The streamer Watermelon+ has introduced the "Watermelon+ Discovery Award," which offers the winning filmmaker or rights holder an exclusive, limited-term licensing agreement on the platform.
Additional support comes from the Islamic Scholarship Fund, the production house Lost in Space, and Aneesa Talks—a platform founded by Aneesa Khan to nurture South Asian and Muslim creative talent. These partnerships underscore the festival’s commitment to providing a sustainable infrastructure for filmmakers rather than just a fleeting exhibition.
The Program: A Tapestry of Human Experience
The selections chosen for the festival demonstrate that “Muslim stories” are as varied as the humans who live them. The program eschews didacticism, opting instead for nuanced explorations of identity, faith, and daily life.
- Documentary and Reality: Justin Mashouf’s $17.74 captures the intersection of incarceration and activism, following a former gang member whose solitary act of solidarity with Gaza from inside a prison cell sparked a viral movement.
- Dramedy and Family Dynamics: In Karim Emara’s Baba Is Melting, the complexity of filial relationships is put to the test when a son confronts his father about a secret second marriage during a routine trip to Friday prayers in Doha.
- Ritual and Transition: Zaid Ahmed Hassan’s Ghusl provides an intimate look at grief and duty, as a son is tasked with learning the solemn rites of an Islamic burial for his dying father.
- Experimental and Animation: Basma Khalifa’s U.K. experimental short Henna bridges the gap between botanical life cycles and the history of women across 16 African and SWANA countries. Meanwhile, Sima Naseem’s My Friend in the Jingle Truck uses stop-motion and 2D animation to create a whimsical, poignant story of a girl in Karachi.
- Social Commentary and Humor: The festival also leans into the comedic and the surreal. Negine Jasmine Sekandari and Ayda Rojhantalab’s Haram Salami explores the intergenerational friction of Afghan women, while Ilhan Abdullahi and Sherry Rashidan’s Unqualified provides a workplace satire about a woman attempting to spiritually cleanse a haunted lunchroom—a metaphor for the pressures of navigating secular corporate environments while holding fast to one’s faith.
The Implications: Moving Toward a New Era
The launch of the NYMFF carries profound implications for the future of film. By asserting that Muslim filmmakers should be the primary authors of their own stories, the festival is not just demanding a seat at the table—it is building a new table entirely.
The diversity of the films—ranging from the fantasy-laden world of Maram Taibah’s Malika to the grounded, psychological tension of Imran J. Khan’s The Boy With Dinosaur Head—sends a clear message: the Muslim experience is not a monolith to be studied, but a vast, human spectrum to be experienced.
As the industry grapples with calls for better representation, the NYMFF serves as a blueprint for how cultural institutions can support authentic storytelling. By focusing on the intersection of craft, industry access, and community, the festival provides a roadmap for future generations of filmmakers who, until now, have been forced to wait for permission to be heard.
On October 11, the SVA Theatre will not just be a venue; it will be a launchpad. As Babar, Mubin, and their team look toward the future, the primary goal is clear: to ensure that the stories told on their screen remain the standard by which all subsequent depictions are measured. The "establishing paradigm" has arrived, and for the New York film scene, the landscape of what is possible has just expanded.
