New York's First Muslim Film Festival Unveils Inaugural Lineup and Jury

The inaugural New York Muslim Film Festival has announced its competition lineup, schedule, and jury ahead of its debut at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan. Organizers aim to move beyond reactive counter-narratives to place Muslim-led stories at the center of the cinematic conversation.

Platform and Programming

Co-founded by filmmakers Nawal Mubin and Giuseppe de Matteis of boutique production company Lost in Space, the event is billed as New York City's first dedicated film festival for Muslim filmmakers. Artistic director Hassan Babar and programmer Aneesa Khan assembled a program of 12 short films spanning narrative fiction, documentary, comedy, animation, and experimental genres across seven countries, including the United States, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, France, and the United Kingdom.

Festival organizers noted that female directors helm the majority of the selected shorts.

"This festival is rooted in joy," Mubin said in the announcement. "We seek to uplift thoughtful, heartwarming, and life-affirming stories that reflect the richness of Muslim life, from love and humor to resilience, tenderness, and community."

Babar added that Muslim-led cinema should stand on its own creative footing, stating that these perspectives "should form the defining paradigm."

The Short Film Slate

Scheduled for October 11, 2026, the single-day festival organizes the 12 selections into two thematic blocks titled "Acts of Resilience" and "Reimagining Traditions," followed by a filmmaker Q&A and jury awards presentation. The slate includes:

• $17.74 (dir. Justin Mashouf)
• Baba Is Melting (dir. Karim Emara)
• Bukra (dir. Alex Aljouni)
• Ghusl (dir. Zaid Ahmed Hassan)
• Haram Salami (dir. Negine Jasmine Sekandari and Ayda Rojhantalab)
• Henna (dir. Basma Khalifa)
• Malika (dir. Maram Taibah)
• My Friend in the Jingle Truck (dir. Sima Naseem)
• Sabr O Shukr (dir. Bilal Shams Khan)
• The Boy with the Dinosaur Head (dir. Imran J Khan)
• Unqualified (dir. Ilhan Abdullahi and Sherry Rashidan)
• Ya Hanouni (dir. Lyna Tadount and Sofian Chouaib)

Jury and Streaming Partnership

A six-member jury will assess the films and present awards. The panel includes Emmy winner Aasif Mandvi, Arab-American filmmaker Darine Hotait, production executive Munir Atalla, producer Abubakar Khan, Sundance fellow Sarah Mokh, and actor Abubakr Ali.

Partners and sponsors include the Islamic Scholarship Fund, Lost in Space, Aneesa Talks, and streaming platform Watermelon+. Watermelon+ is sponsoring the Discovery Award, granting the winning filmmaker an exclusive limited license on the service. The financial terms and territorial scope of that license have not been disclosed.

Published listings show slightly conflicting start times for the event: promotional announcements cite 1:00 PM EDT, while the SVA Theatre calendar lists programming starting at 1:30 PM EDT.