The Halal Gap: Recent Episodes
Mosquers Film Festival
Welcome to The Halal Gap - an open discussion with creative individuals highlighting the wealth of talent and diverse voices of Muslims from around the world.
On this edition of The Halal Gap, we bring you a very special episode: the panel discussion from our 2nd annual ‘Opening Credits’ event on October 13th, 2023. For the 2nd year in a row, the Mosquers Film Festival was kicked off with ‘Opening Credits’, an event where 300 Muslim creatives and representatives from organizations that seek to platform them came together. The panel, hosted by Sikandar Atiq, features Hoda Ali, Community Impact Coordinator at Toronto International Film Festival, ‘Mustache’ director and writer, Imran J. Khan, Kajsa Erickson, Manager of Telefilm Canada’s Talent Fund, and Emmy award-winning documentary producer, Lisa Valencia-Svensson.
Opening Credits would not have been possible without the support of our partners at Inspirit Foundation and Warner Brothers Discovery Access.
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq31 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Panelists: Hoda Ali @thatgirlhoda, Kajsa Erickson @telefilm_canada, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Imran J. Khan @imranjkhan
Producer: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Videographer: Yousuf Iqbal @yi_studios
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
https://www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Imran J. Khan joins us from LA! Imran talks to Sikandar and Sofia about his new feature film “Mustache,” a story about a 13 year old Pakistani American boy who struggles to accept himself after transferring from Islamic school to public school in the late 1990’s. Imran talks about authentically representing Muslims and tells us why he thought “Mustache” would never get made. Plus, he takes us behind the curtain on casting and directing young Brown actors, production design, and much, much, more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq31 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Imran J. Khan @imranjkhan
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Sound Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
The Mosquers return October 13-14, 2023! Submit your short film here: https://www.themosquers.com/submit.
Join our new Discord community for Muslim creatives here: https://discord.gg/fTJZxZfjUA.Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
https://www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Hassan Phills joins us live in Edmonton! Hassan talks to Sikandar about quitting basketball before his senior year to go all-in on comedy, the moment he realized Drake was following him on Instagram, and how he finessed his way into opening for Hasan Minhaj. Plus, we talk his early comedy influences, doing extra work, his vlogging days, and much, much, more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq123 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Hassan Phills @hassanphills
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Production Assistant: Yonus Shaik @yonusshake
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Amal Dalmar joins us from SoCal! Amal talks to Sofia about how she went from completing the thesis for her Masters in Law to working for BuzzFeed as a creative producer in a matter of a few days! We also get into “Dinner, Inshallah?”, the USHUB original docu-series she hosted which highlights Muslim American communities and their relationship with food. Plus, we talk about her chance encounter with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, We Are Lady Parts, One Tree Hill vs The O,C., and much, much, more!
Host: Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Amal Dalmar @itsamalworld
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Sound Engineer: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Mohamed Ahmed aka Just Moe joins us live and in person in Edmonton! Moe chats with Sikandar about trying to connect to the work of his grandfather, famous Sudani poet Ismail Hassan. Then, Moe sheds light on his experience at theatre school, including some questionable casting decisions. We get into his music career and how his approach differs from acting. Plus, Moe and Sikandar chat about the Edmonton arts scene, Scottie Barnes, Donald Glover, and much, much, more!
Host: Sikandar Atiq @satiq31
Guest: Just Moe (Mohamed Ahmed) @iamjustmoe
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Researcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hass
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Injured Reserve: Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Photographer Simrah Farrukh joins us from the Bay Area! Simrah chats with Sikandar and Sofia about her exhibit ‘The Brown Gaze’, shooting Never Have I Ever’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan for Netflix, and how Pakistani poetry influences her photography. Simrah also discusses taking a step back from Instagram, and how social media can be toxic for an artist. Plus, we get into Bratz dolls, networking advice, Rugrats, and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq31 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Simrah Farrukh @simrahfarrukh
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Researcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hass
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Kashif Pasta joins us from Seattle! Kashif chats with Sikandar and Sofia about his early beginnings in film and his STORYHIVE series “Welcome to Surrey”. We get into Desirée Dawson’s “Meet You At The Light” music video, produced by Kashif’s company Dunya Media, which picked up multiple awards at the 2022 South by Southwest Festival. Kashif tells us all about his new sci-fi short “Desi Standard Time Travel'' and why it’s important for him to center Muslims and South Asians in his work. Plus, we talk about the future of AI in filmmaking, Hasan Minhaj, TikTok, and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq31 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Kashif Pasta @kashifpasta @dunyamedia
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Researcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hass
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Content creator and host of the Salaam Nerds podcast WatchWithNeebz joins us from New Jersey! Neebz tells us about his first time at Comic Con and being suspected of murder. Neebz talks about The Bachelor & The Bachelorette and why it’s important for diverse voices to be part of the conversation on reality dating shows. Later, Neebz, Sikandar, and Sofia dive deep into what they loved and didn’t love about Ms. Marvel. Plus, we talk Midnight Mass, The Little Mermaid, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq123 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: WatchWithNeebz @watchwithneebz @salaamnerdspodcast
Producer and YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Researcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hass
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmood
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Yazmeen Kanji joins us from Toronto! Yazmeen talks to Sikandar and Sofia about her early interest in advocacy, starting in the 5th grade. Yazmeen talks about her influences in film and entertainment and growing up with Bollywood and Disney shows like Cheetah Girls and That’s So Raven. After winning a short film contest in high school, she recounts a formative conversation on the set of Saving Hope with Erica Durance. We learn about how her passion for both film and social justice led to her starting Films With A Cause. Later, Yazmeen tells us about her next narrative short film, One Day, about a Muslim teen who day dreams. Plus - we get into Ramy’s Steve Way, Ted Lasso, and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq123 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Yazmeen Kanji @yazmeenkanji @director.yazmeen
Producer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Researcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hass
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Skillshare: https://skillshare.eqcm.net/halalgap
Alex Kronemer, co-founder of Unity Production Foundation, joins us on The Halal Gap from DC! Alex talks to Sofia and Sikandar about his early life in Pennsylvania as well as his 10 year career in government, which included a stint working for Al Gore’s Reinventing Government team. Alex talks about how his first time at Hajj inspired him to get into filmmaking, UPF’s projects and initiatives including the animated film Lamya’s Poem, and his latest project - The Great Muslim American Road Trip! Tune in to hear that and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq @satiq123 and Sofia Alani @bambzz24
Guest: Alex Kronemer @upftv
Producer: Asif Quraishi @sifq
Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunes
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:
www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest/
Skillshare: https://skillshare.eqcm.net/halalgap
The Halal Gap is back for Season 4! To kick things off, your co-hosts Sikandar Atiq and Sofia Alani chat with Cadar Mohamud, the founder of The Digital Sisterhood podcast and storytelling platform. Cadar talks about growing up in Toronto, passing Joe Rogan on the charts, how she’s helping Muslims get married, and much, much more!
Co-Hosts: Sikandar Atiq and Sofia Alani
Guest: Cadar Mohamud
Producer: Asif Quraishi
Editor: Vikram Chouhan
Researcher: Zaid Hassan
Tile Art: Narmeen Saiyed
Follow our new Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thehalal_gap. The Halal Gap is a Mosquers Film Festival production. Keep up to date with the Mosquers:www.themosquers.com
https://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest
https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest
https://twitter.com/themosquers
https://www.facebook.com/mosquersfilmfest
Skillshare: https://skillshare.eqcm.net/halalgap
The Halal Gap is back!
Join Sikandar Atiq and Sofia Alani as they chat with Muslims making their mark in film, entertainment, and culture from all over the world.
We conclude Season 3 of The Halal Gap with a very special episode: the recording of the panel discussion from Opening Credits, the kick-off to our festival weekend, on March 11, 2022. With over 250 artists and representatives from organizations and platforms in attendance, this event marked the largest gathering of Muslim creatives anywhere in the world. Opening Credits was made possible by our partners at Inspirit Foundation.
The panel, hosted by Sikandar Atiq, features award-winning writer and director Sahar Jahani; Canadian Screen Award winning actor, Hamza Haq; writer, filmmaker, and creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie, Zarqa Nawaz; and the 16th Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada, Claude Joli-Coeur. Our panelists discuss the issue of representation in film and TV, the realities facing Muslim artists today, and offer advice to those wanting to break into the industry.
Best friends turned pop duo fajjr+ali join us today on The Halal Gap! They chat with Sofia and Sikandar about their backgrounds in theatre, the challenges that come with being Muslims making pop music, and people assuming they’re married. Fresh off the release of their new single, “I’m Fine”, Fajjr and Ali also give us a look inside their collaborative process. Plus: we take a moment to shoutout @themuslimvibe for including us on their list of Top Muslim Podcasts, and make a special announcement about our showcase event, The Mosquers Film Festival, happening on March 12, 2022!
Revolutionary calligrapher and artist Karim Jabbari joins us from Milwaukee! Karim talks to Sofia and Sikandar about his connection with calligraphy, living under surveillance in Tunisia while his father was a political prisoner, his career as a championship winning University basketball player, and his move to Canada! Karim also discusses his pioneering work in light calligraphy, the courage it takes to be an artist, and the messages within his art. Plus, a special announcement about our showcase event, the Mosquers Film Festival, happening on March 12, 2022!
Serena Rasoul, actress, writer, and founder of Muslim Casting joins us from DC! Serena talks about how to tell your parents you want to be an actor, practical advice on pursuing your dreams, the creation of Muslim Casting, and the incredible work she’s doing to help Muslims break into the industry. We also discuss her interview with NBC News about the absence of MENA talent in the 2021 blockbuster “Dune” despite the cultural influences in the film and source material. Tune in!
Zainab Johnson, stand-up comedian, host of Netflix’s “100 Humans”, and Aleesha on Amazon Prime’s “Upload”, joins us from LA! Zainab chats with Sofia about growing up in Brooklyn as one of 13 siblings, her recent meeting and conversation with Dave Chapelle, why she was nervous before going on stage at I Heart Halal in 2019, and what’s different about performing for predominantly Muslim crowds. Tune in to hear all that plus a special announcement about our showcase event, the Mosquers Film Festival, on March 12, 2022!
Arij Mikati, Managing Director of Culture Change at Pillars Fund, joins us from Chicago! Arij talks about the recent Pillars Fund study with USC titled “Missing and Maligned” which analyzes Muslim representation in Hollywood. She also talks about the Pillars Artist Fellowship, and how the organization is enabling Muslim filmmakers to tell more diverse stories. We also get into her own personal journey as an artist, including her theatre background and “The Girl Deep Down Below” - the webseries she starred in about Muslim women fighting supernatural forces! Arij, Sofia, and Sikandar also debate who was the better boyband - Backstreet Boys or NSYNC?
Aqsa Altaf, director of the Disney+ short “American Eid”, joins us from LA! She talks to Sikandar and Sofia about growing up in a migrant community in Kuwait and becoming the breadwinner of her family at the age of 18. Aqsa also discusses moving to the US, her short film “One Small Step”, working with child actors, and the barriers that those of lower socioeconomic status face while pursuing the arts. We also celebrate being named one of the Best 20 Muslim Podcasts by Feedspot, woo!
Shahjehan Khan, co-founder of The Kominas and the host of the “King of the World” podcast, joins us from Boston! Shahj opens up about his early life and struggles with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. He also discusses the beginning of The Kominas and their early notoriety, meeting Riz Ahmed, and being featured in the documentary “The Birth of Punk Islam: Taqwacore”.
Cannabis journalist and screenwriter Abdullah Saeed, of VICE’s Bong Appetit and HBO’s High Maintenance, joins the pod. Abdullah chats with Sofia and Sikandar about how he hooked up with Muslim punk group The Kominas, his column Weediquette, travelling to Nepal to film Mad Honey, the history of cannabis in South Asia, and much more.
Latif Nasser, the host of WNYC’s Radiolab and Netflix’s “Connected”, joins The Halal Gap today! Latif talks about studying theatre at Dartmouth in hopes of becoming a playwright, getting his PhD at Harvard, what drew him into podcasting, as well as “The Other Latif” and Abdul Latif Nasser’s recent release. Latif, Sofia, and Sikandar also discuss the best sports movies and whether or not potatoes are overrated.
Credit: WNYC Studios for Latif’s headshot.
Professional gamer turned stand-up comedian Danish Maqbool drops in on The Halal Gap to chat with Sikandar about his unconventional journey. Tune in to hear DMaq talk about finally moving out of his moms basement, why he left gaming right before the boom, roasting people on Clubhouse, and the impact of Azhar Usman and Ramy Youssef on his career.
Artist and painter Aadil Abedi joins The Halal Gap to chat with Sofia and Sikandar. Listen in to hear about his move to India to chase his Bollywood dreams, how he turned painting from a hobby to a career, creating Islamic art, and his favorite Madhuri Dixit movie(s). The Halal Gap is a Mosquers production. You can find us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at @MosquersFilmFest and on Facebook by searching Mosquers Film Festival.
illMuslims co-founders Rummi Khan and Sadaf Javaid join hosts Sofia and Sikandar on this edition of The Halal Gap. Tune in to hear Rummi and Sadaf discuss the growth of illMuslims, their definition of community, the genesis behind “Wallah She’s Funny,” and much more!
Pakistani-Canadian actor and model Daniel Malik joins Sofia and Sikandar on this edition of The Halal Gap. Daniel joins us to discuss his journey from modelling to acting, identity, surviving the year that was 2020, and where to find the best donut.
Today on The Halal Gap: Filmmaker Shehroze Khan joins hosts Sofia and Sikandar to discuss how to make it in the film industry without going to film school, why he turned down an offer to work on a Netflix show, and navigating the film industry as a Muslim. Shehroze also discusses his new short film ‘Chocolate’ and sheds light on the meaning behind the Mosquers-finalist piece ‘The Traveller’.
Today on a special episode of The Halal Gap, hosts Sofia and Sikandar are joined by Mousa Qasqas. Mousa is an Edmonton based human rights activist focused on the Palestinian community and has served in various positions with the Canada Palestine Cultural Association, most recently as their Vice President. He sits down with us to explain the history of the occupation of Palestine, what's happening currently, and why the issue is suddenly garnering more focus than ever before.Free Palestine.
Filmmaker and professor Iman Zawahry chats with Sikandar and Sofia this week on The Halal Gap. We touch on everything from her side gig as a Zumba instructor, how she got into teaching film, and her debut feature film “American-ish” - the first romantic comedy by Muslim women, for Muslim women.
This week on The Halal Gap, Sikandar and Sofia are joined by Libyan-American hip-hop artist and activist Kayem. Tune in as Kayem discusses being placed on the No Fly List, returning to his home country of Libya, and the weirdest topics he’s seen on Clubhouse so far.
Join hosts Sikandar and Sofia as they chat with visual artist Emmen Ahmed, more commonly known as @emmenjaan. Emmen talks to us about everything from using art as therapy, having her work recognized by the likes of Hasan Minhaj, and Harry Potter.
This week, Sofia and Sikandar are joined by Amir Sulaiman, where they talk poetry and short films.
This week, Sofia and Sikandar get comfy with Ahamed Weinberg - and we mean really comfy. Catch the final episode of season 2 of the Halal Gap now.
This week on the podcast Sofia and Sikandar had a chance to speak with Sue Obeidi - the director of Muslim Public Affairs Council, Hollywood Bureau, to discuss the nitty gritty of advocacy and the landscape of Muslim representation in media.
Joining us all the way from London, this week's guest is none other than the host of the 2018 Mosquers Film Festival - Omar Regan! Sofia and Sikandar had the opportunity to catch up with the actor, comedian, and musician to dive into his journey and find out what he's been up to across the Pond.
Podcasters, unite! This week Sofia and Sikandar chat with Podcasting Powerhouse Misha Euceph to discuss all of the incredible things she is doing, and all the sleep she is missing out on.
This week, Sofia and Sikandar sat down with one of the co-founders and hosts of Edmonton's own 2nd Floor Podcast, Omid Qaderi to discuss hustling towards fulfilling a dream, getting into a mindset for success, and what it takes to be a self-starter.
This week, catch comedian, writer, and actor Ismael Loutfi as he takes Sofia and Sikandar through the worst part of the apocalypse, the process behind Patriot Act, dissecting the comedy scene, and some talk about mustaches and russet potatoes.
This week on the Halal Gap, join Sofia and Sikandar as they chat with Hamza Haq - star of the most-watched Canadian series this year, CTV's "Transplant"!
We're back! This week, Sofia and Sikandar chat with comedian Feraz Shere to talk celebrity impersonations, grinding on (financial) models, and cracking the WhatsApp Aunty Circuit.
As an organization, we have always been focused on sharing Muslim stories. A story that is not heard enough, but told too often, is the story of how our Black brothers and sisters are treated in our society. There are injustices taking place that need to be addressed.
In this episode, hosts Sofia and Sikandar are joined by Omar Farah and Bashir Mohamed as they sit down to discuss the critical issue of institutional racism that exist both on a global and national scale, but also locally within our own communities.
NOW is the time to amplify Black voices. NOW is the time to rally and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. This is not the time to claim ignorance. Read. Learn. Speak. Act.
BlackLivesMatter
The latest episode of the Halal Gap is here, and this week featured guest Tasneem joins the show to break down her experiences in the music scene.
On the latest episode of the Halal Gap, find Sofia and Sikandar as they catch up with Salma Hindy - a Toronto-based Comedian and the incredible host of the 2019 Mosquers Film Festival!
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, joining Sofia and Sikandar this week: A WWE Superstar and the first openly Muslim character in WWE history as Mustafa Ali, the one, the only, Adeel Alam!
This week, catch Shaikh's Hot Takes as Sofia and Sikandar talk acting, collaboration, and improv with Saagar Shaikh!
On this episode of the Halal Gap, Sofia and Sikandar talk music production, family time, and juggling multiple personas with the one and only Waseem Stark!
On this week's episode, Sofia and Sikandar are joined by Omar Farah, a Somali-Canadian poet and community builder from Edmonton, Canada.
This week on the Halal Gap, Sofia and Sikandar hop on the phone with Maaz Ali, an Indian-Pakistani-American actor in LA who has trained at the renowned Beverly Hills Playhouse and the Upright Citizens Brigade.
We're back! Kicking off season 2 of The Halal Gap, all the way from social isolation Sofia and Sikandar are joined by accomplished writer and director, Sahar Jahani! Sahar's incredibly impressive resume includes script development at YouTube Originals, being a writer on the Golden Globe winning show “Ramy”, a writer on the hit Netflix show "13 Reasons Why", and the mastermind behind the Mosquers award-winning short film "Just One Night". She’s currently working on her original pilot, "Uncovered", executive produced by Eva Longoria and is working on the film adaptation of "Ayesha at Last" with Hollywood powerhouse Amy Pascal.
The Halal Gap returns with hosts Sofia Alani and Sikandar Atiq for an exciting new season featuring creatives from around the world. Tune in weekly as Sofia and Sikandar have open and candid conversations with individuals from a variety of disciplines, discussing their journeys, goals, and insights.
The first episode of Season 2 drops this Monday, April 6, 2020 - join us as we continue our mission to Close the Gap!
On this week's episode of The Halal Gap, join Ash and Sara as they cover the 2019 Mosquers Film Festival, live from the red carpet at the Winspear Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on September 21, 2019! Hear stories from some of the featured filmmakers, former Mosquers organizers, artists, and community members, and relive the hype behind the biggest Mosquers Film Festival event to date!
This week on The Halal Gap, join Sikandar and Hamada as they sit down with the creative masterminds behind the world-renowned comics "Zindan" and "The Incapable Trump", Omar Mirza and Khurram Mehtabdin. Tune in to listen to the origins of these incredible works as Omar and Khurram provide details and anecdotes about creating these stories one step at a time, all while balancing their lives as physicians.
This week on The Halal Gap, The Mosquers presents Timiro Mohamed! She is an award winning Canadian-Somali spoken word poet, and will be one of the featured artists at the 2019 Mosquers Film Festival. Raised right here in Edmonton, she was a semi-finalist at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in 2016 and is also a full-time business student. Join us as we discuss the inspiration behind her poetry, finding an artistic voice and the state of poetry in the education system, as well as her collaborative chap-book 'Water'.
This week on The Halal Gap, Sofia and Hamada sat down on a Skype call with writer and filmmaker Ayanna Sharif, whose work focuses on illuminating shadows and lifting the veil covering the nuanced cultures of people of color. Originally from Baltimore, Ayanna is a storyteller and producer whose most recently released film, Wudu, won Best Technical Production at the 2018 Mosquers Film Festival. Tune in this week to listen to Ayanna discuss the production of Wudu, the importance of black, Muslim voices in film, working on a big budget movie set, and living in Thailand!
In this episode, Mosquers presents the young and talented photographer Shahroze Khan. Shahroze travels the world while capturing different stories about his experiences. Visiting places like Lahore, Palestine, and the Rockies, Shahroze shares his many stories through his lens. Come along with us as we discuss all things photography such as maintaining authenticity when capturing worldwide issues, his upbringing into photography, his inspiration, and so much more!
This week, join chair of the Mosquers Film Festival, Sikandar Atiq, as he sits down with actor, comedian, and writer Ramy Youssef to discuss the artist's new show, "Ramy" and his journey as a Muslim in the entertainment industry.
A special thank you to Sikandar Atiq for hosting this episode, to Ramy Youssef for joining us on the show, and to Amaad Bhatti for recording this episode.
The Mosquers Film Festival is proud to present: THE HALAL GAP - an open discussion with creative individuals highlighting the wealth of talent and diverse voices of Muslims from around the world.
From common, everyday struggles, to the relative scarcity of Muslim individuals in the creative industry, join us as we explore stories and opinions of Muslims from around the world as we aim to showcase the incredible bodies of work and uniquely divergent experiences of genuine, hard-working individuals who identify as Muslim.
Tune in every other week and thank you for listening as we aim to close the gap.