Archive · 4 Oct 2026
New York’s First Muslim Film Festival Showcases Women Directors
New York is hosting its first Muslim film festival.
It will happen for one day at SVA Theatre on October 11.
The festival will show 12 short films from seven countries.
Women directed most of the films.
The films include comedies, dramas, documentaries and animated stories.
They are about people and experiences from different Muslim communities.
The festival’s founders say these stories deserve a place of their own.
A streaming service called Watermelon+ will offer a special award to one film.
The one-day inaugural New York Muslim Film Festival will take place at SVA Theatre on October 11.
It will screen 12 short films from seven countries, with women directing most of the selected films.
The programme includes documentaries, dramas, comedies and animated works by emerging Muslim filmmakers.
The festival was founded by director and producer Nawal Mubin and filmmaker Giuseppe de Matteis to give Muslim filmmakers a space to tell their own stories.
Watermelon+ is behind the Discovery Award, whose winner will receive a limited-period exclusive streaming licence.
- Who
- Muslim filmmakers, with women making up most of the directors represented.
- What
- The inaugural New York Muslim Film Festival will screen 12 short films.
- When
- October 11; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- SVA Theatre in Manhattan, New York.
- Why
- Founders say Muslim filmmakers should have a space to tell their own stories, rather than having those stories appear only at the margins or as responses to portrayals of the community.
- Festival
- One-day inaugural New York Muslim Film Festival
- Date
- October 11; year not specified
- Venue
- SVA Theatre, Manhattan
- Programme
- 12 short films from seven countries
- Founders
- Nawal Mubin and Giuseppe de Matteis
- Jury
- Six members, including actor and comedian Aasif Mandvi
- Discovery Award
- The winner receives an exclusive Watermelon+ streaming licence for a limited period