The inaugural edition of the Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF) was held from May 30th to June 2nd in London’s Leicester Square with the gala screening of Naqqash Khalid’s directorial debut ‘In Camera‘ on the closing night.

During the event, winners were announced for Best Film and Best Short. Ten feature films were up for consideration and were judged by a festival jury.

The jury was made up of Claudia Yusef (Head of Development at BBC Films), Leon Oteng (Production Inclusion Manager at BFI Filmmaking Fund), Neila Butt (Creative Diversity Lead, Nations and Regions at Channel 4), Tas Brooker (filmmaker, When We Speak), Youssef Kerkour (BAFTA nominated actor for Channel 4’s Home).

In the competition were Khalid’s sharp showbiz satire, Kamal Lazraq’s ‘Hounds’, Selman Nacar’s ‘Hesitation Wound’, Moin Hussain’s ‘Sky Peals’, Mohamed Kordofani’s ‘Goodbye Julia’, Behrooz Karamizade’s ‘Empty Nets’, Mohamed Ben Attia’s ‘Behind the Mountain‘, and Amjad Al Rasheed’s ‘Inshallah A Boy‘.

‘Inshallah A Boy’ takes Best Film at MIFF

In the end, ‘Inshallah A Boy’ was awarded Best Film. The Jordanian drama about a newly widowed woman and her daughter facing eviction from their home because of patriarchal inheritance laws is a worthy winner.

It has earned similar acclaim at film festivals including Red Sea International, Bengaluru, Thessaloniki, and Cannes – the first Jordanian film ever to be invited to premiere on the Croisette – as well as the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Al Rasheed said he was honored to collect the award at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on Sunday night and is one of the X feature directorial debuts screened during the festival.

This above-average number highlights MIFF’s commitment to showcasing the filmmaking prowess of emerging talent from the Muslim world and/or filmmakers writing about it.

Yet, the absence of female directors in this curated selection seems a rather glaring oversight, especially considering the inclusion of a few standout features centered on female perspectives.

Women’s journeys in Muslim cinema

As well as ‘Inshallah A Boy’, Kordofani’s ‘Goodbye Julia’ is a powerfully intimate portrait of two Sudanese women and the racism, ethnocentrism and religious differences that compounded the political, social and economic tensions leading to the secession of Southern Sudan in 2011.

Given current events, ‘Goodbye Julia’ is a sensitive and nuanced entry point into the Sudanese conflict that has claimed far too many lives and displaced far too many people.

By centering women (played evocatively by Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak), as with ‘Inshallah A Boy’, these films also expose how often patriarchal structures are weaponized to suppress, subordinate and oppress the female populace.

The winner of Best Short similarly highlights this struggle. ‘Yellow‘, written, directed by, and starring Elham Elhas, tells the story of a young Afghan woman, played by Afsaneh Dehrouyeh, as she buys her first chadari (full-body veil) in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

While the film maintains a light, playful touch, the oppressive nature of the militant regime is always looming beneath the surface.

Elsewhere, Asena Nour’s ‘See You in the Dark‘ – one of the few shorts written and directed by a woman – grapples with the ominous threat of an Internet troll as a London-based artist seeks to confront the man who sexually assaulted her on the opening night of her exhibition.

Steeped in rage and pain, the semi-autobiographical film is a potent and personal examination of the casual infliction of misogyny and rape culture on women.

It’s a strong example of how the festival is willing to challenge and expand our understanding of stories from the Muslim world.

Empowering diverse voices through cinema

The program is not simply seeking to pedestal Muslims and put them in an uncritical spotlight; rather it wants to showcase the diversity of human experiences that exist within the Muslim faith and champion those who come from it to tell big-screen stories.

“I have been lucky to travel, collaborate with the most extraordinary people, create work which I hope will stand the test of time, films which have moved and engaged with people around the world,” said British filmmaker Asif Kapadia as he collected the Trailblazer award.

Outsiders have been a recurring theme in the award-winning writer-director’s work, which includes ‘The Warrior’, ‘Senna‘, ‘Amy’, and ‘Maradona’.

“Those who may not conform or fit into the power systems around them,” he added.

“Becoming a film director, a writer, producer or indeed working on the crew in the film industry, isn’t an obvious or simple choice for someone born in Hackney to working-class British Indian Muslim parents during the 70s. But I feel lucky that I found filmmaking – it changed my life.”

Cinema certainly has the power to change lives and perspectives and MIFF has been a golden opportunity to recalibrate the celluloid image of Muslims after decades of Western marginalization.

With submissions already open for the second instalment of the festival next year, here’s hoping it makes more space for female filmmakers to showcase their feature-length efforts to reflect the vastness of Muslim communities and cultures – and give London audiences an even better chance to empathize with them.

Source: The New Arab

This is the 19^th International award that the short-film has bagged so far. Previously, this short film was nominated in two international festivals in Baku and Istanbul.

The film narrates the hardships of the family of a Hazara victim in the bloody attacks of 2015 and 2018 in the city of Quetta, depicting the pain and suffering faced by the Hazaras as a result of targeted attacks.

Between 2018 and 2015, Pakistani Hazaras, most of whom live in the city of Quetta, witnessed deadly attacks in which hundreds of people were killed. Most of these attacks were carried out by extremist groups, including Lashkar Jhangvi and Lashkar Taiba.

Hussain Ali Yousafi, chairman of the Pakistan Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), was also assassinated in one of these attacks in 2009 by Lashkar Jhangvi.

Parwaz Dar Shab (Flying in Darkness)

Director and Writer: Safar Ali Danish

Producer: Safar Ali Danish, Aun Ul Haider

Release Date: April 2022

Cast: Howra Batool, Nargis Batool, Abdullah Jan Ghaznavi, Najeeb Hazara, Mirza Husssain Hazara

Storyline

Najeeba is a young girl, yet eldest daughter left in the family, to run demised father’s vegetable vendor, who recently martyred in an explosion at the fruit market in Hazar Ganji, Quetta. While living in a male dominant society, she is to confront the harsh realities that make her take some tough life decisions.

About the Director

Safar Ali Danish is an award-winning filmmaker based in Quetta, Pakistan. He graduated from Iqra University, Karachi with a degree in Film & TV. As the founder of the first production house in Quetta, Filmsaaz Production is a pioneer in the film industry in the region. He has Produced, wrote, directed and edited many documentaries and short films. He has received 16 international awards & 20 official selections for his short film “Parwaz Dar Shab” and has been recognized for his documentary films as well. His work aims to convey the unique experiences and perspectives of the people in his community to the world. He is passionate about using film as a medium to raise awareness and promote social change.

Source: Instagram

First launched in 2007 by a group of Muslim students at the University of Alberta, the Mosquers, a combination of Muslim and Oscars, still works 14 years on to combat misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.

“It’s generally a celebration of Muslim creatives and art,” said Yasir Iqbal, the festival’s outreach director.

“Filmmakers use our festival to discuss and share their films and narratives that they feel like might be underrepresented in traditional media or social media,” Iqbal said.

For the 2023 event, over 1,000 films were submitted from all over the world, with eight being selected as finalists to be screened throughout the weekend.

According to Iqbal, the event welcomes everyone, Muslim or not. It also features a combination of universal and Muslim-specific themes across genres.

The film festival comes as Canada marks the annual Muslim Heritage Month in October.

Every October, Canadian Muslims mark Islamic Heritage Month with events to celebrate and educate about the rich Muslim heritage.

The IHMC Theme for 2023 was “Celebrating Muslim Women in the Arts & Sciences”.

It aimed to honor the historical contributions of Muslim women through the ages and their influence on the progress of the Arts, Sciences, and Society.

Read more at: AboutIslam.net

Date: September 09, 2017

Venue: Winspear Centre, Edmonton, AB T5J 4X8, Canada

Submissions Deadline: August 7, 2017

The Mosquers Film Festival is North America’s leading film competition with a focus on promoting awareness and education of current issues related to Muslims and the Islamic faith. We are calling for submissions for the 2017 season. The Mosquers is open to all filmmakers in North America and across the globe. Film entries from any genre are accepted.

This year, the award categories include: Best Picture ($2000), Best in Cinematography and Sound ($1000), Best Performance ($1000), and People’s Choice Award ($1000). A new category highlighting Albertan filmmakers has also been introduced – The Larry Shaben Award ($500). The Award Show will be taking place at the Winspear Centre on September 9th, 2017 with featured comedian Jeremy McLellan. Shortlisted films will be screened in front of over 1000 guests in attendance.

The Mosquers Film Festival is a short film competition that aims to educate, entertain and build bridges through showcasing the diverse Muslim experience. The Mosquers Film Festival Foundation (The Mosquers) was formed in 2006 to create a long-term proactive plan to counter the media stereotypes of Muslims and the Islamic faith. Since then The Mosquers has become a recognizable organization in Canada and continues to attract increasing interest internationally. The evening comprises a red carpet ceremony, screening of the short film finalists, a feature entertainment portion, and the awards presentation. The evening ends off with a mixer where attendees and participants have a chance to network in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

The film submission deadline is August 7, 2017. More detailed information about the submission guidelines are available on our website here

Source: The Muslim Link