Heading to Sundance? Join us for a partner panel with Kartemquin Films (creators of Minding the Gap, which is on the shortlist for an Oscar) on January 28th. Filmmaker David Washburn will give a preview of his new docuseries Loyalty: Stories that paints diverse portraits of Muslim military personnel who are challenging stereotypes of both Islam as well as the armed forces.

As Hollywood networks and studios strive for greater diversity of representation and opportunities for underrepresented communities increase, we’re partnering on a panel with the Writers Guild of America, East in New York City on March 21st.

This spring, we will host our 28th annual Media Awards honoring artists, actors, activists, and executives who use art and media to create authentic, nuanced portrayals of Islam and Muslims, promote inclusion, social justice, and inspire action. Thank you to all who had submitted their nominations. We will keep you posted on who we will be honoring.

We will be offering a short film fellowship for an emerging Muslim voice and visionary. One writer will receive mentorship and assistance on script development, production, distribution, and submission to film festivals.

In order to see a change in how Muslims are represented in Hollywood, we need Muslims telling stories about our experiences. Our Screenwriter Labs do just that. We’re working with major entertainment studios and production companies to offer day-long labs for Muslim talent to develop their scripts, learn how to effectively pitch their projects, and network.