New York’s first Muslim film festival redefines representation

NEW YORK (MNTV) — New York’s first Muslim film festival aims to do more than challenge stereotypes: it wants Muslim filmmakers to define their own stories rather than respond to narratives shaped by Western media. 

The New York Muslim Film Festival (NYMFF), launching Oct. 11 at Manhattan’s SVA Theatre, will screen 12 short films from seven countries across documentary, drama, comedy, animation and experimental cinema, a majority directed by women.

“They should be the establishing paradigm,” said artistic director Hassan Babar, arguing Muslim stories should be an integral part of cinema, not a corrective to misrepresentation. 

“This festival exists because those stories deserve a stage in this city, not on the margins of someone else’s,” said co-founder Nawal Mubin. 

The films range widely: Justin Mashouf’s documentary “$17.74” follows an imprisoned former gang member whose gesture of solidarity with Gaza goes viral; Basma Khalifa’s “Henna” traces the plant’s life cycle alongside women from 16 African and SWANA countries; Alex Aljouni’s “Bukra” follows a young Syrian refugee; and “Unqualified” uses comedy to examine the pressures on a workplace’s only Muslim employee.

The festival’s jury includes Emmy winner and former “Daily Show” correspondent Aasif Mandvi. Backed by the Islamic Scholarship Fund and others, and featuring a Watermelon+ Discovery Award, NYMFF treats Muslim cinema as a diverse creative field in its own right — one, organisers argue, where filmmakers need not enter “as outsiders correcting someone else’s story,” and can tell stories that are not about being Muslim at all.