Recalibrating the Roadmap to Manifesting the Dream!
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This enlightening discussion takes place in the wake of the writers and actors strike, exploring how the industry can embrace more diverse stories from emerging talent, including independent filmmakers. Our panelists will delve into strategies for crafting narratives that stand out in a highly competitive and saturated market, offering unique insights and practical tips to help your stories shine in an ever-changing landscape.
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The panel will discuss Muslim representation in government, news, entertainment, and marketing, highlighting how media often misrepresents Muslim culture and values. Panelists will offer solutions for improving Muslim representation in mainstream media to counter negative stereotypes and enhance creative content.
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This compelling fireside chat highlights the critical work of comedy for culture change. Comedians are social commentators who tackle serious societal issues with wit and courage. As hate and intolerance persist, this fireside chat brings influential comedians Dean Obeidallah and Maysoon Zayid, the co-founders of the Arab American Comedy Festival, to highlight the U.S. Arab and Muslim experience. Their sharp insights will illustrate how humor can disarm audiences through relatable stories and be a formidable force against hate.
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In an age inundated with mis/disinformation, documentaries emerge as compelling narratives that transcend the realm of mere entertainment. Through the artful combination of storytelling and visual representation, documentaries on Muslim narratives invite audiences to critically examine and question preconceived notions, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities inherent in the lives of individuals who identify with the Muslim faith. This panel will focus on the enriching tapestry of Muslim narratives within the documentary genre, delving into the profound significance of these films that provide a more comprehensive and nuanced portrayal of the shared human experience.
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"Cancel culture" has emerged as a prominent and polarizing element within our democracy. This panel aims to delve into the multifaceted nature of cancel culture, investigating its effects on both individuals and society at large and exploring the far-reaching consequences of limiting free speech and expression. The panelists, representing diverse sectors of society, will provide valuable perspectives on how cancel culture is depicted and magnified across different mediums. They will share insights on the nuanced challenges of pursuing a just and free society while navigating within the constraints imposed by this phenomenon.
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As the population of Muslims in America and the world grows so does anti-Muslim sentiment. Presented by the MPAC Hollywood Bureau and the Islamic Scholarship Fund, this SXSW 2023 panel of entertainment creatives discusses how TV, Film, Podcasts, and other mediums impact pop culture and help to dismantle disinformation about Muslims, and the fastest growing religion in the world, Islam.
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At the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the MPAC Hollywood Bureau, alongside the Islamic Scholarship Fund, hosted the Muslim Cinematic Storytelling Panel – an open dialogue for Muslim filmmakers to share their experiences in the entertainment industry, and share their work with the audience. Featured panelists included Iman Zawahry, Aizzah Fatima, Nausheen Dadabhoy, and Imran J. Khan. Qasim Basir and Nida Manzoor, whose films "To Live and Die and Live" and "Polite Society," made their world premiere at the festival, also participated on the panel.
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At the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the MPAC Hollywood Bureau hosted "Broken: The Failed Promise of Muslim Inclusion" – a discussion about the many pitfalls of diversity efforts for Muslims in the entertainment industry with Dr. Evelyn Alsultany, Razi Jafri, and Omar Noureldin.
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Muslim producers, screenwriters, directors, and actors are proving that there is room not only for stories that defy stereotypes, but ones that reflect the messy, complex ways in which being Muslim converges with so many other parts of one’s identity. This conversation at the 2022 ATX Film Festival explores how Muslim storytellers in Hollywood are forging their way ahead in creating a much needed critical mass to change the tide so authentic and nuanced stories can rise to the top.
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This conversation on how Muslim creatives can build and sustain film movements at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival was presented by The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau and the Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) for the second annual Muslim House.
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BIPOC creators joined the MPAC® Hollywood Bureau at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival for a conversation exploring how we harness intersectionality and use it as a superpower.
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The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau and Afghan American Foundation present a conversation with Lorraine Ali and the writers, actors, and producers of CBS's prime-time comedy United States of Al.
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The Writers Guild Foundation joined forces with The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau and Women in Animation for a discussion about how diversity is not only an integral part of storytelling, but essential, from the cast to the crew.
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Director of The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau, Sue Obeidi and USC Dornsife College's Dr. Evelyn Alsultany discuss the Peacock Original We are Lady Parts with creator, director and writer Nida Manzoor.
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A screening and discussion with the director, producer, and lead actor of the Oscar and BAFTA nominated short film “The Present”, the story of a father and his young daughter who set out in the West Bank to buy his wife a gift on their wedding anniversary.
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MPAC in discussion with Mohamedou Ould Salahi and actors Jodie Foster and Tahar Rahim about The Mauritanian, the film based on Mohamedou’s memoir, Guantanamo Diary.
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The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau and MACRO present a discussion on the impact and future of Black Muslim narratives, both on the page and on screen, to ensuring dynamic and authentic portrayals of the largest and first community of Muslims in America.
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In partnership with Blackhouse, Latinx House, Illuminative, the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience, and MACRO, his multi-ethnic, multi-racial 2021 Sundance panel reflects the importance of intersectional unity and representation.
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The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau and the WGAW Middle Eastern Writers Committee discuss the importance of increasing Middle Eastern representation in writers’ rooms and bolstering more accurate portrayals of Middle Eastern people in entertainment.
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