Exclusive: The Salon South Asian Mentorship Program revealed its Class of 2022, led by Disney’s Reena Singh, Hillman Grad’s Rishi Rajani, WME agent Bash Naran, actor/writer Nik Dodani, and actor/producer Vinny Chhibber.
The Salon is a forum for South Asian artists and executives in entertainment to connect and collaborate, share resources, facilitate mentorship, drive public advocacy, and disburse grants. Its mission is to accelerate the creative development of South Asian American television and film through community organizing and empowerment.
This year’s writing mentees are Sabeeh Jameel and Jyotsna Suresh. The directing mentees are Aqsa Altaf and Kajal Patel. The executive leadership & production mentees are Satinder Chhokar, Shivani Doraiswami, Anisha Joshi, Priyanka Kapoor, Ashley Mathew, and Maansi Sunkara.
Their mentors include Nikki Menon, Anu Valia, Meera Menon, Ameet Shukla, Rishi Rajani, Bash Naran, Randeep Katari (Animation Executive), Sanjay Sharma, Rohit Kumar, and Munis Rashid.
The mentees will work closely with their respective mentors over the course of one year to identify areas of growth, discuss career strategy, access opportunities, and most importantly, build community. Mentees will also have exclusive access to panels with industry professionals and other educational programming curated by The Salon.
“Our first class of mentees reinforced our belief that building deep connections with one another is the key to our community’s success,” said The Salon’s co-founders Nik Dodani, Bash Naran, and Vinny Chhibber in a statement. “This is an industry based on relationships, and our goal with this program is to continue growing the pool of talent that the market can connect with.”
Many of last year’s participants have been making strides in their careers since the conclusion of the program, including Nardeep Khurmi, whose directorial debut Land of Gold premiered at this year’s TriBeCa Film Festival; Apoorva Guru Charan who produced Joyland, the winner of this year’s Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm; and writer/actor Kausar Mohammad, who was just cast as Fast Track in The Flash.
The Salon is a forum for South Asian artists and executives in entertainment to connect and collaborate, share resources, facilitate mentorship, drive public advocacy, and disburse grants. Its mission is to accelerate the creative development of South Asian American television and film through community organizing and empowerment.
This year’s writing mentees are Sabeeh Jameel and Jyotsna Suresh. The directing mentees are Aqsa Altaf and Kajal Patel. The executive leadership & production mentees are Satinder Chhokar, Shivani Doraiswami, Anisha Joshi, Priyanka Kapoor, Ashley Mathew, and Maansi Sunkara.
Their mentors include Nikki Menon, Anu Valia, Meera Menon, Ameet Shukla, Rishi Rajani, Bash Naran, Randeep Katari (Animation Executive), Sanjay Sharma, Rohit Kumar, and Munis Rashid.
The mentees will work closely with their respective mentors over the course of one year to identify areas of growth, discuss career strategy, access opportunities, and most importantly, build community. Mentees will also have exclusive access to panels with industry professionals and other educational programming curated by The Salon.
“Our first class of mentees reinforced our belief that building deep connections with one another is the key to our community’s success,” said The Salon’s co-founders Nik Dodani, Bash Naran, and Vinny Chhibber in a statement. “This is an industry based on relationships, and our goal with this program is to continue growing the pool of talent that the market can connect with.”
Many of last year’s participants have been making strides in their careers since the conclusion of the program, including Nardeep Khurmi, whose directorial debut Land of Gold premiered at this year’s TriBeCa Film Festival; Apoorva Guru Charan who produced Joyland, the winner of this year’s Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm; and writer/actor Kausar Mohammad, who was just cast as Fast Track in The Flash.
- 7/27/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
In June 2021, Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed and Pillars Fund’s Kashif Shaikh and Arij Mikati outlined the urgent need for more Muslim representation in the entertainment industry, both in front of and behind the camera, during an extensive interview with Variety.
The trio announced plans to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative, dubbed the Pillars Artist Fellowship, with a mission to provide resources and mentorship to a group of talented Muslim artists to help them use their talents to change the game in the film and television industries. Today, Pillars Fund, Ahmed and his Left Handed Films banner unveil the inaugural cohort of fellows.
“We spent months getting to know many talented candidates,” stated Shaikh, Pillars Fund’s co-founder and president. “We are honored to work with these incredible artists and are excited to provide them resources to reach even greater heights in the coming year.”
Sponsored by Netflix and Amazon Studios,...
The trio announced plans to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative, dubbed the Pillars Artist Fellowship, with a mission to provide resources and mentorship to a group of talented Muslim artists to help them use their talents to change the game in the film and television industries. Today, Pillars Fund, Ahmed and his Left Handed Films banner unveil the inaugural cohort of fellows.
“We spent months getting to know many talented candidates,” stated Shaikh, Pillars Fund’s co-founder and president. “We are honored to work with these incredible artists and are excited to provide them resources to reach even greater heights in the coming year.”
Sponsored by Netflix and Amazon Studios,...
- 3/15/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
"I saw it and felt something I'd never felt before." The easiest way to introduce this: what if someone made Ghostbusters gritty & real, like how Christopher Nolan made his Batman movies gritty & real? Deadlock is a sci-fi short proof-of-concept created, produced, written & directed by filmmaking team John X. Carey + Aqsa Altaf. In a world where the living have the imprisoned the spirits of the dead in a server facility called "Deadlock" - an officer there is having a day from hell. The film tells a few stories about people involved in running the facility, mainly the crew who round up the ghosts. The short stars Joey Auzenne, Langston Fishburne, Jenna Qureshi, Brandon Scales, and Christopher Newman. This features an impressive amount of world-building and style, one hell of a proof-of-concept for sure. A refreshing take on ghosts, too. Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this one.
- 9/28/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
For the inaugural season of Disney’s “Launchpad” shorts incubator, the studio centered on the theme, “Discover,” encouraging audiences broaden their worldview through their short films.
But another word that could describe this first group of films and the filmmakers who crafted them over the last 19 months is “Perseverance.”
When Aqsa Altaf, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Ann Marie Pace, Moxie Peng, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros and Hao Zheng got the call that they’d been selected to become the first class of filmmakers in Dec. 2019, no one expected they’d have to overcome a five-month production delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has taken us almost three years to get to this point,” Mahin Ibrahim, director of Disney’s diversity & inclusion, market, who oversees the “Launchpad” program, tells Variety.
The drive to continue on came down to the simple fact that the mission — spotlighting underrepresented stories and storytellers in the marketplace...
But another word that could describe this first group of films and the filmmakers who crafted them over the last 19 months is “Perseverance.”
When Aqsa Altaf, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Ann Marie Pace, Moxie Peng, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros and Hao Zheng got the call that they’d been selected to become the first class of filmmakers in Dec. 2019, no one expected they’d have to overcome a five-month production delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has taken us almost three years to get to this point,” Mahin Ibrahim, director of Disney’s diversity & inclusion, market, who oversees the “Launchpad” program, tells Variety.
The drive to continue on came down to the simple fact that the mission — spotlighting underrepresented stories and storytellers in the marketplace...
- 5/28/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Disney’s Launchpad, a new filmmaking program dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices, has unveiled the trailer for six original short films coming to Disney Plus.
All six short films, each centering on the theme of “discover,” will launch on Disney Plus on May 28. The program’s inaugural year features stories by Ann Marie Pace, Aqsa Altaf, Hao Zheng, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Moxie Peng and Stefanie Abel Horowitz.
“As a first-generation Muslim Bangladeshi woman, I know how important it is for communities to see themselves on screen, and to empower emerging filmmakers,” said Mahin Ibrahim, director of Disney’s diversity and inclusion, market, who oversees the Launchpad program. “Our goal with the Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator is to tell six deeply meaningful personal stories straight from the filmmakers’ heart, amplified with the scale and reach that only Disney has.”
Disney plans to continue its Launchpad program, with the theme of “connection” to anchor the second season.
All six short films, each centering on the theme of “discover,” will launch on Disney Plus on May 28. The program’s inaugural year features stories by Ann Marie Pace, Aqsa Altaf, Hao Zheng, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Moxie Peng and Stefanie Abel Horowitz.
“As a first-generation Muslim Bangladeshi woman, I know how important it is for communities to see themselves on screen, and to empower emerging filmmakers,” said Mahin Ibrahim, director of Disney’s diversity and inclusion, market, who oversees the Launchpad program. “Our goal with the Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator is to tell six deeply meaningful personal stories straight from the filmmakers’ heart, amplified with the scale and reach that only Disney has.”
Disney plans to continue its Launchpad program, with the theme of “connection” to anchor the second season.
- 4/14/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: As diversity becomes more of a staple rather than a trend in Hollywood, Disney is stepping up to the plate to amplify underrepresented voices with the inaugural Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator program. Filmmakers Aqsa Altaf, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Ann Marie Pace, Moxie Peng and Hao Zheng were revealed as this year’s participants.
Launchpad is an immersive program in where the aforementioned six directors, who represent diverse perspectives, will produce original, live-action short films. They will have the opportunity to be considered for an exhibition on Disney+ and possible further development. The program also includes professional and storytelling classes led primarily by the program’s educational partner, the American Film Institute.
“We are so excited to work with these six wonderful and talented directors who have so much to say to the world and have such beautiful ways of saying it,” said Mahin Ibrahim, Director, Diversity & Inclusion,...
Launchpad is an immersive program in where the aforementioned six directors, who represent diverse perspectives, will produce original, live-action short films. They will have the opportunity to be considered for an exhibition on Disney+ and possible further development. The program also includes professional and storytelling classes led primarily by the program’s educational partner, the American Film Institute.
“We are so excited to work with these six wonderful and talented directors who have so much to say to the world and have such beautiful ways of saying it,” said Mahin Ibrahim, Director, Diversity & Inclusion,...
- 7/30/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Now in its 31st year, the American Pavilion is moving with the times and bringing inclusion and representation to the forefront with its showcase of films by emerging filmmakers. This year, 29 films will make their debut on the Croisette. The global stories include 17 female directors, six documentaries and 11 Lgbtq narratives that are relevant to the times.
The new films will be featured in five showcases: Student Short Films, Student Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker Short Films, Emerging Filmmaker Documentaries and Emerging Filmmaker Lgbtq Showcase Films. All are part of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase series. Some of the films feature actors including M. Emmet Walsh, Wallace Langham, Michelle Davidson, among others.
“We have such great diversity amongst the films and international filmmakers, with more than half of this year’s films directed or co-directed by women,...
The new films will be featured in five showcases: Student Short Films, Student Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker Short Films, Emerging Filmmaker Documentaries and Emerging Filmmaker Lgbtq Showcase Films. All are part of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase series. Some of the films feature actors including M. Emmet Walsh, Wallace Langham, Michelle Davidson, among others.
“We have such great diversity amongst the films and international filmmakers, with more than half of this year’s films directed or co-directed by women,...
- 4/16/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
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