Our mission is to celebrate and elevate Muslim storytelling through film by creating opportunities for emerging filmmakers to share their work with wider audiences. The festival will showcase a curated selection of short films from up-and-coming Muslim artists whose perspectives deserve greater visibility.
2026 Official Selections (Arab film titles are highlighted)
$17.74
Directed by Justin Mashouf • Documentary
A young filmmaker follows a former gang member who has been incarcerated since the 1980s. His act of compassion for the people of Gaza from behind prison walls sparks a viral movement of solidarity and hope.
Baba is Melting
Directed by Karim Emara • Dramedy • Qatar, United States
As his father waits in the car for Friday prayer, a son calls to confront him about a secret second marriage. Set against Doha's sweltering heat, the conversation forces long-buried emotions to the surface as father and son reckon with masculinity, vulnerability, and their fragile relationship.
Bukra
Directed by Alex Aljouni • Drama • United States
After winning a soccer ball in a sweepstakes, a young Syrian refugee must race to claim her prize and play one final game with her best friend before he's gone forever.
Ghusl
Directed by Zaid Ahmed Hassan • Drama • United States
When a father asks his son to take Islamic burial classes in preparation for his impending death, the son is forced to confront the reality that their time together is coming to an end.
Haram Salami
Directed by Negine Jasmine Sekandari, Ayda Rojhantalab • Comedy • United States
Three generations of Afghan women navigate the tensions between identity, tradition, and ambition after a single bold act forces long-buried conflicts to the surface.
Henna
Directed by Basma Khalifa • Experimental • United Kingdom
Blending personal reflection with ancestral tradition, HENNA traces the life cycle of the henna plant alongside a woman's journey through generations of ritual, memory, and womanhood. Featuring women from 16 countries across Africa and the SWANA region, the film explores connection, heritage, and belonging.
Malika
Directed by Maram Taibah • Fantasy • Saudi Arabia
This is a story about a grandmother-granddaughter relationship and what it means to be a wild girl in a world that asks us to be tame and obey. It's set in a world of magical realism born out of a child's imagination.
My Friend in the Jingle Truck
Directed by Sima Naseem • Animation • Canada
In Karachi, a young girl meets a magical bird inside a brightly painted jingle truck and is transported into its vibrant world. Through stop-motion and 2D animation, she discovers Pakistani culture while learning about friendship and letting go.
Sabr O Shukr
Directed by Bilal Shams Khan • Drama • Pakistan
When 10-year-old Akram dreams of owning a bicycle, his pursuit of it becomes his first lesson in patience and gratitude.
The Boy with the Dinosaur Head
Directed by Imran J. Khan • Drama • United States
Convinced he is a dinosaur, a troubled boy challenges the teacher determined to bring him back to reality. Their brief encounter leaves a lasting impact on them both.
Unqualified
Directed by Ilhan Abdullahi, Sherry Rashidan • Comedy • Canada
Warsan, the only Muslim employee at her office, is unexpectedly tasked with performing a "spiritual purification" after reports of paranormal activity in the lunchroom. With little more than faith and a series of misunderstandings to guide her, she sets out to rid the office of mischievous spirits before she gets fired.
Ya Hanouni
Directed by Lyna Tadount, Sofian Chouaib • Drama • France
As two parents compete to hear their baby say "Mama" or "Baba" first, their playful rivalry is interrupted by an unexpected event that changes their lives forever.