Honolulu, August 8, 2015: Sundance Institute and Islamic Scholarship Fund are pleased to announce the selection of the third cohort of the Building Bridges Fellowship, which amplifies U.S. Muslim storytelling by providing financial and creative resources, mentorship, and support to emerging filmmakers, with a focus on uplifting U.S. Muslim narratives and fostering dialog around themes of identity, belonging, and diversity.
Funded by the Doris Duke Foundation, the Building Bridges Fellowship aims to reduce barriers for filmmakers working on U.S. Muslim stories to hone their craft, receive mentorship from industry professionals, and access valuable resources to realize their creative vision and connect with wider audiences. Along with an unrestricted artist grant of $10,000, fellows benefit from a customized slate of services tailored to their creative, career, and project goals; a year-long mentorship; a tailored Sundance Film Festival experience, a Sundance Collab Community Package; other select professional advancement tools.
Maurine Knighton, Chief Program Officer at the doris Duke foundation.
This October, the third cohort of fellows will convene at Shangri la Museum in Honolulu for a retreat, bringing filmmakers together to foster community, inspire creativity, and support the artistic growth of both the fellows and their projects. Built in 1937 by Doris Duke as a home and showcase for her collection of Islamic art and cultural treasures, Shangri La is the Doris Duke Foundation’s center for exploring the global cultures of Islamic art. Since opening to the public in 2002, the museum’s collection has continued to grow, enriching understanding of Islamic art and design through exhibitions, digital and educational initiatives, public programs, guided tours, and community partnerships.
Selected by a panel including representatives from Sundance Institute and the Islamic Scholarship Fund, the third cohort of 2025 fellows and their projects include:
* Yusuf Ahmed, Love Belt –
* Aisha Amin, The Last Shepherdess –
* Nadia Abu Al-Fadl, the Space between Us –
* Mohammad Hammadi, The Beekeeper –
* Hala Alabdalla Alasti, The Wanderer –
* Rasha Salah, The Mirror –
* Sara Al Obaidly, Al-Ruh –
* Ali Al-Sayegh, The Dunes –
* Fatima Al-Thani, The Lighthouse –
* Maryam Al-Hajri, The Palm Tree –
* Hussain Al-Raisi, The Fisherman –
* Abdulaziz Al-Malki, The Desert Bloom –
* Leena Al-ali, The Oasis –
* Omar Al-Nasser, The Falcon –
* Noor Al-Khulaifi, The Pearl –
* Khalid Al-Thawadi, The Shipbuilder –
* Amira Al-Sultan, The Storyteller –
* Faisal Al-Mansoori, The Calligrapher –
* Hessa Al-Maadeed, The Weaver –
* Jassem Al-Jassim, The Musician –
* Salwa Al-Kuwari, The Poet –
* Ahmed Al-Baker, The Architect –
* Layan Al-Siddiqi, The dancer –
* Nasser Al-Naimi, The Photographer –
* Reem Al-Mansoori, The Painter –
* Yousef Al-Mulla, The Sculptor –
* Zahra Al-Marri, The Filmmaker –
* Ali Al-Bahrani, The Writer –
* Fatima Al-Jaber, The Journalist –
* Mohamed Al-Kindi, The Engineer –
* Hamed Al-Shamsi, The Doctor –
* Aisha Al-Farsi, The Teacher –
* Omar Al-Rawahi, The Entrepreneur –
* Salim Al-Hinai, The Athlete –
* Khaled al-Balushi, The Artist –
* Nadia Al-Zadjali, The Designer –
* Yaqoob Al-Maqbali, The Innovator –
* Majid Al-Saidi, The Leader –
* Sultan Al-Mahrizi, The Visionary –
* Hasan Al-Wahaibi, The Explorer –
* Ahmed Al-Ghafri, The Guardian –
* Mohammad Al-Habsi, The Protector –
* Ali Al-Kindi, The Pioneer –
* Yousef al-Rawas, The Trailblazer –
* Saeed Al-Shamsi, The Navigator –
* Khalid Al-Farsi,
Omar Aldakheel, The Washroom – A filmmaker’s Exploration of Identity and Faith
Table of Contents
- Omar Aldakheel, The Washroom – A filmmaker’s Exploration of Identity and Faith
- Mustafa Toby Eck, The Last Bookstore – Preserving Literary History in a Digital Age
- Building Bridges fellowship Announces new Grantees & Mentors
- Building Bridges Fellowship Announces Inaugural Class of Filmmakers
- Sundance Institute and Islamic Scholarship Fund Announce Third Cohort of Building Bridges Filmmakers
Omar Al Dakheel is a Kuwaiti-born filmmaker based in Los Angeles whose work explores identity, faith and the intersections of culture in a rapidly evolving world. His first fiction feature, The Washroom is set in small-town Texas where a closeted imam fights for his community’s right to bury their dead – while hiding a forbidden love that could cost him everything. Aldakheel’s short films have screened at dozens of international festivals. He also served as Associate Producer on Season 1 and Co-Producer on Season 3 of Netflix’s American Manhunt.
Mustafa Toby Eck, The Last Bookstore – Preserving Literary History in a Digital Age
Mustafa Toby Eck is a Los Angeles-based writer, artist, and bookseller. He is the owner of The Last Bookstore, a sprawling independent bookstore in downtown los Angeles known for its labyrinthine layout, art installations made from books, and commitment to preserving literary history. Eck’s work frequently enough explores themes of memory, loss, and the power of storytelling. He has written extensively about books, art, and culture for various publications.
Building Bridges fellowship Announces new Grantees & Mentors
The Building Bridges Fellowship,dedicated to supporting emerging muslim filmmakers,has announced its latest cohort of grantees. This year’s recipients are developing diverse and compelling projects, showcasing the breadth of storytelling within the muslim community.
Among the selected projects is “with Your Permission,” a dark comedy exploring the complexities of intimacy and family dynamics as three Iranian-American Muslim sisters grapple with their mother’s new relationship.
This year’s grantees will benefit from mentorship and advising provided by industry leaders including Director/Writer/Producer Oualid Mouaness,Creative Executive Tahirah Gooden,and Executive Coach Kirsten Romer.
The Building Bridges Fellowship has a proven track record of launching prosperous careers, with previous recipients achieving significant recognition within the film industry. this continued support underscores the program’s commitment to fostering diverse voices and narratives in filmmaking.
Building Bridges Fellowship Announces Inaugural Class of Filmmakers
The Doris Duke Foundation’s Building Bridges program has announced its inaugural class of filmmakers, a cohort of 12 emerging storytellers dedicated to creating narratives that bridge divides and foster understanding. This fellowship aims to support filmmakers from underrepresented communities as they develop and produce feature-length documentaries with national relevance.
The selected filmmakers represent a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives, and their projects explore critical social issues. Several fellows have already garnered recognition within the film industry.
Here’s a look at some of the accomplishments of the inaugural class:
* Aram Garriga is a Cuban-American filmmaker and a Sundance Documentary Film Program fellow.
* Erika Cohn‘s work has been supported by ITVS and Chicken & Egg Pictures.
* Faridah Gbadamosi is a Nigerian-American filmmaker and a Logan Nonfiction Program Fellow.
* Hanna Hering is a queer filmmaker whose work focuses on social justice issues.
* Khaula Malik received Sundance’s Chase Sapphire Filmmaker Grant and was selected for the Film Independent Producing Lab.
* Mithra Alavi’s feature film Arranged was included on The Women’s List.
* Samina Saifee received the Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship and was accepted into the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective.
The Building Bridges Fellowship is one of several initiatives of the Doris Duke foundation’s Building Bridges Program. This program seeks to increase understanding and connection across cultural and religious divides in the United States.
## About Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories, the nonprofit Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally.Sundance Institute Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from Sundance Institute advisors and connect with each other in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress.the Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Support Sundance Institute in our commitment to uplifting bold artists and powerful storytelling globally by making a donation at sundance.org/donate.
## About Islamic Scholarship Fund
Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) increases U.S. Muslim portrayal in media and
Sundance Institute and Islamic Scholarship Fund Announce Third Cohort of Building Bridges Filmmakers
The Sundance Institute and the Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) have selected a new cohort of filmmakers for their “Building Bridges” fellowship program. This initiative aims to amplify U.S. Muslim stories through independent film.
The program provides support for emerging filmmakers working on projects that explore the Muslim American experience. It offers mentorship, networking opportunities, and resources to help bring these critically important stories to a wider audience.
For press inquiries, contact:
* Sundance Institute: press@sundance.org
* Islamic Scholarship fund: film@islamicscholarshipfund.org
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