The Long Jazeera
New York City, New York | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
When a writer returns home sober, his Pakistani American family must decide whether to forgive him for leaving—and for writing their unspoken secrets into a novel. Full of humor and heart, The Long Jazeera is a universal story about family and the awkwardness of healing old wounds.
The Long Jazeera
New York City, New York | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
187 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$42,270
Goal: $40,000 for production
When a writer returns home sober, his Pakistani American family must decide whether to forgive him for leaving—and for writing their unspoken secrets into a novel. Full of humor and heart, The Long Jazeera is a universal story about family and the awkwardness of healing old wounds.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HELP US REACH OUR STRETCH GOAL!
Thank you to each and everyone of you who helped us get HERE! We are floored to reach $40K of our goal at the tail end of Week 3 of our campaign.
Now help us get to our stretch goal of $50K!! This will help us cover travel expenses, additional locations, lodging and more.
THE LONG JAZEERA is fiscally sponsored by FILM INDEPENDENT, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL donations to this campaign are tax-deductible.
After Sabahat's health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters Tasneem (the under-appreciated caretaker) and Zeba (the queer Brooklyn poet) put their lives on pause to care for her alongside their father Arash in their Long Island home. As a hurricane strikes the house, Shamim, the eldest son, reappears. He claims he’s sober (again) and that he’s here to make amends.
While Sabahat is desperate to repair the family, Tasneem and Arash are furious at Shamim for his absence. Zeba sees the parallels between her life and her brother’s, and decides to give Shamim another chance. But soon, buried secrets and Shamim’s true intentions come to light, threatening all chances of reunion.
Set in my hometown, the film explores the conversations around addiction, cultural silence, and intergenerational healing I’m seeing take place in my South Asian and Muslim communities. It’s rare that my family feels seen by the depictions of Muslims in the media. With this film, I set out to make something true to who we are and show an immigrant family that is deep down full of humor and love, no matter the distance between them.
We are blessed to welcome such a dynamic and versatile ensemble cast of actors behind this film in this ensemble to this project, and I'm thrilled to work with all of them.
Shahjehan Khan (SUCCESSION, DELI BOYS), is himself an older brother in long-term recovery for the last 15 years. He is joined by queer actress and comedian Kausar Mohammed (MO, THE FLASH, JURASSIC PARK: CHOAS THEORY) as Zeba, and veteran Pakistan-American actor Iqbal Theba (GLEE, DELI BOYS, COMMUNITY, LAND OF GOLD) as Arash.
We are building out the rest of our cast and are excited to share more details as they develop!
The Long Island I know is a tapestry of immigrant communities overflowing from the city: Jewish, Italian, Caribbean, Arab, and Asian. My Pakistani community moved out on the Island in search of picture perfect homes they could build, the products of their sacrifices towards the American Dream.
With this film, I want to uplift the many Long Island homes I grew up in and around. Homes that flooded and lost power during Hurricane Sandy. Homes that overflow with guests on Eid and wedding celebrations. Homes that carry the memory of family members seven seas away.
Addiction, estrangement and intergenerational trauma haunt the Khokhars, making their family home a place of painful memories discarded like old photographs. As our main filming location, we’ll be able to show the family home in various manifestations using naturalistic lighting styles: amid an approaching storm; during a blackout via intimate candlelight; and in the harsh, gloomy, cloudy light of day.
Like a home video, the camera captures the highs and lows of a South Asian American family recovering from years of addiction, estrangement and intergenerational trauma.
Blending realism and melodrama, THE LONG JAZEERA is a dramedy about a family putting back the missing pieces.
Here are some comparable films:
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We are inspired by rich, character-driven stories, cultural nuance and a familiar sense of home, such as HIS THREE DAUGHTERS which infuses a New York childhood home with the nostalgia of happier times, and THE FAREWELL which depicts the cultural barriers between immigrant New Yorkers and their elders back home. The house of THE LONG JAZEERA will show the clash between the memories of the past and the divide of the present.
With this film, we want to destigmatize addiction and promote mental health in South Asian and Muslim families. We plan to reach our audience directly and build momentum through authenticity, community partnerships, and word-of-mouth in partnership with South Asian and Muslim-led local organizations, mosques and university groups.
While our film represents a Pakistani American family, our themes of family reconciliation, identity, and intergenerational tension are universal. We're excited to promote this film to an audience as diverse as our themes, from the South Asian & Muslim diaspora in North America, UK, Australia, and the Middle East, to the immigrant households worldwide to indie film lovers of all stripes. Our film offers our audience of all backgrounds something they rarely get to see -- a Muslim family being messy, funny and real.
As a team, our work is rooted in telling everyday stories about people's voices are often shut out of the mainstream. My short film Super Sonic, inspired by my experience as a hard of hearing filmmaker, went to the Oscar-qualifying Austin film festival and was screened in five different countries, including Pakistan. My short film Post Term, inspired by my parents’ early marriage and immigration to the US, was distributed through JetBlue and Focus Features, and won the Gotham Film Student Film Award.
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Producer Rabia Sultana's work has been recognized at festivals across the world, including at Sundance, Tribeca, Woodstock, Aspen. She believes a multicultural catalog of film is crucial to society’s health, as each culture has its own special ingredient of wisdom. Rabia hopes her body of work to be a safe haven for the disenfranchised, a place where mystique, empowerment, and belonging can be found. Her work is now available on Tubi, Amazon, and more.
In addition to his career as an actor, Shahjehan Khan is a founding member of Muslim cult favorite punk band The Kominas, and Webby Award-winning podcast host of The King of the World which explores his artistic journey and addiction recovery against the impacts of a post 9/11 world.
The Long Jazeera builds on our previous work of telling a story true to our roots. Thanks to the incredible team of producers, cast and crew and to organizations like Tasveer and Film Independent, the film is now one step closer to becoming a reality.
PROJECT TIMELINE
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We plan to film this in Fall 2026 in Long Island, New York, where I was born and raised. The funds we raise will allow us to film in the fall, with the plan to complete and release the film by 2028.
We're excited to make this film with the support of our communities and show the industry how hungry audiences are for Muslim stories that show us in our full complexity. As we make connections with investors and community partners, our Seed and Spark campaign is focusing on securing the essentials our cast and crew need in order to bring their full talent and passion onset. No amount of contribution towards making this film is too small.
If you have a local catering business, equipment rentals, a bed and breakfast in Long Island, or plenty of Pakistani clothes and cheez you need to get rid of, please get in touch! We are excited to collaborate with Long Island community partners in representing the Island both onscreen and behind the camera.
Here is an glimpse at some of the costs your pledge will support!
If we reach our fundraising goal before the end of the campaign, we will continue to fundraise to reach our stretch goal of $50,000. Our additional funds will go towards securing our lenses, locations and more!
TL;DR: how to support and inquires:
- THE LONG JAZEERA is fiscally sponsored by FILM INDEPENDENT, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL donations to this campaign are tax-deductible: The Film Independent will issue tax receipts for your donation.
- We are seeking private equity investors to invest in the film. Please reach out to us directly if you’d like to discuss investment opportunities: [email protected]
- We are seeking in-kind support in the NYC and Long Island area towards our catering, cast and crew accommodations, filming locations and more. We plan to work with local South Asian and Muslim businesses and organizations in telling a story which speaks directly to our communities.
If you are unable to pledge a contribution at this time, we would be deeply grateful if you could:
- Help us get to 350 followers on Seed and Spark! Follow us today (make sure you sign up on Seed and Spark to follow us)
- Follow us @thelongjazeera on Instagram
- Share this project with your network
- Connect us with someone who might be interested in supporting us in bringing this film to the finish line!
Easy Copy & Paste Social Share
Option 1:
I just backed THE LONG JAZEERA — a new feature film about mental health and intergenerational trauma in South Asian families. Support the film here on Seed&Spark: https://tinyurl.com/3f8a7737
Option 2:
Proud to support the new feature film THE LONG JAZEERA— telling the kind of complex story about South Asian Muslim families we need now more than ever. Check it out on Seed&Spark + share: https://tinyurl.com/3f8a7737
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals - Lunch
Costs $10,000
We will be feeding the best Long Island has to offer to our crew -- if you are a Long Island business with catering please get in touch!
Equipment Rentals
Costs $8,000
Help us secure our lighting and grip needs to show all the details in our family home onscreen.
Production Design
Costs $5,000
Help us design our Long Island home and hurricane building around it.
Lodging
Costs $10,000
Help us house our cast and crew so they get a good night's sleep in between shoot days!
Crew
Costs $7,000
Help us secure reasonable rates for our local New York and Long Island crew!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director: Saleem Nasir Gondal
Saleem Nasir Gondal (he/him) is a hard-of-hearing Pakistani American filmmaker. Born in Long Island, based in New York, his work explores themes of language and intimacy in BIPOC communities onscreen.
Saleem's work has been supported by The Black List, The National Board of Review, The Gotham, Pillars Fund, Tasveer, MPAC Hollywood Bureau and the Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab. Saleem's short film SUPER SONIC has screened in five different countries, including the Austin Film Festival, TIDE Film Festival and the Asian American International Film Festival. Saleem's short POST TERM is a winner of the Focus Features | JetBlue Short Film Showcase and has been screened at CAAMFest, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, International South Asian Film Festival of Canada, Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI), and more.
He has a BFA from NYU Tisch and MFA from Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema Brooklyn College.
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Producer: Rabia Sultana
Rabia Sultana is a filmmaker based in NYC and LA, originally from East London.
She began her artistic journey performing at Stratford Theatre and Criterion Theatre before studying Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. A 2021-2022 PGA Create Fellow, she received a grant from Google & PGA to produce Haider, Texas, which premiered at the Produced By Conference. Her recent projects include Ricky (Sundance 2025, Best Dramatic Director), Edge of Everything (Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2024, Panavision Best Independent Feature).
Select credits include Fairyland (Sundance 2023), Angelfish (TIFF), and The Climb (Cannes, Un Certain Regard). Rabia has produced work for Hulu, Netflix, HBO, and The Juilliard School. Passionate about amplifying diverse voices, she sees film as a catalyst for empowerment and belonging.
A member of BAFTA and the Producers Guild of America, she is dedicated to expanding global narratives in cinema.
Line Producer: Gabriela Tamariz
Gabriela Tamariz is a Nicaraguan-Canadian-American producer based in New York City. For the past 10 years, she’s had the pleasure of producing commercials, short films, short documentaries, web series, photography, television and now film. In television + film, she’s worked as a production supervisor for sketch comedy shows such as HBO’s Fantasmas and MAX’s That Damn Michael Che Show. Her first feature indie film BUNNY premiered at SXSW Film & TV Festival 2025 and went on the screen at Tribeca before its theatrical release by Vertical.
Cinematographer: Gianna Badiali
Gianna Badiali is a Swiss cinematographer based in New York City. Her work has been selected at festivals around the world including the Venice International Film Festival, Telluride, SXSW, Tribeca, Palm Springs Shortfest and SFFILM, and has won awards from HBO and the DGA. After a childhood spent in Switzerland, India and Italy, she studied Visual Arts and Computer Science at Brown University before pursuing a career in filmmaking. She holds an MFA in Film from NYU Tisch School of The Arts where she was a ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award finalist and the winner of the Nestor Almendros Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. She is a 2024 ASC Vision mentee.
Production Designer: Rhea D’Souza
Rhea D'Souza is a production designer originally from Mumbai, India with an innate desire to birth worlds by balancing the honesty of humanity with the magic of film making. Currently based in New York, she has completed her MFA in Production Design from NYU Tisch School of the Arts (2021). She has worked on Indian feature films like Gully Boy, A Death in the Gunj, etc. and on commercials and photoshoots for Kiehl’s, Meta, Target, UPS etc. Her films have screened at film festivals like Tribeca Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Asian American International Film Festival Festival to name a few.
Lead (Shamim): Shahjehan Khan
Shahjehan Khan (he/him) is a Boston-based actor, musician, and podcast producer.
Co-founder of Desi/Muslim punk rock legends THE KOMINAS and more than 13 years sober, he has a deep understanding and appreciation for the highs and lows of community representation, having been an extremely visible part of these conversations since the early 2000's.
Shaj is now a versatile and blooming on-screen force. You’ll see him in Dylan Sprouse’s action-packed thriller AFTERMATH on Netflix and in shows like DELI BOYS, SUCCESSION, THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, and FOR ALL MANKIND.
Lead (Zeba): Kausar Mohammed
Kausar Mohammed is a queer, Muslim, Pakistani actress and writer who stars in ‘APPENDAGE’ opposite Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Hadley Robinson (Little Women), world premiering at SXSW 2023. Mohammed wrote and stars in the holiday romantic comedy THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT, directed by Fawzia Mirza, which world-premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. Mohammed recently starred as Dr. Meena Dhawan AKA Fast Track on The CW series THE FLASH, and earlier as Soraya Abbas on The CW series 4400. She starred in Paul Feig's series “EAST OF LA BREA” and voices Yaz, one of the fan favorite lead characters, on Dreamworks and Amblin’s hit show JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS.
Mohammed’s standout performance as Rakhi in COFFEE SHOP NAMES is currently streaming on HBO MAX. Mohammed is a writer/performer in the distinguished all-South Asian sketch comedy troupe The Get Brown, who is currently developing various film and series projects, and performed two seasons of continuously sold-out shows at Upright Citizen's Brigade LA. Other credits include WHAT MEN WANT (Paramount), LITTLE (Universal), SILICON VALLEY (HBO), BLACK LIGHTNING (The CW), and CAROL’S SECOND ACT (CBS). Mohammed was also a featured talent in the ViacomCBS Diversity Showcase 2021. Kausar also is the co-founder of SHIFT, a racial and gender equity consulting group created by women of color.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HELP US REACH OUR STRETCH GOAL!
Thank you to each and everyone of you who helped us get HERE! We are floored to reach $40K of our goal at the tail end of Week 3 of our campaign.
Now help us get to our stretch goal of $50K!! This will help us cover travel expenses, additional locations, lodging and more.
THE LONG JAZEERA is fiscally sponsored by FILM INDEPENDENT, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL donations to this campaign are tax-deductible.
After Sabahat's health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters Tasneem (the under-appreciated caretaker) and Zeba (the queer Brooklyn poet) put their lives on pause to care for her alongside their father Arash in their Long Island home. As a hurricane strikes the house, Shamim, the eldest son, reappears. He claims he’s sober (again) and that he’s here to make amends.
While Sabahat is desperate to repair the family, Tasneem and Arash are furious at Shamim for his absence. Zeba sees the parallels between her life and her brother’s, and decides to give Shamim another chance. But soon, buried secrets and Shamim’s true intentions come to light, threatening all chances of reunion.
Set in my hometown, the film explores the conversations around addiction, cultural silence, and intergenerational healing I’m seeing take place in my South Asian and Muslim communities. It’s rare that my family feels seen by the depictions of Muslims in the media. With this film, I set out to make something true to who we are and show an immigrant family that is deep down full of humor and love, no matter the distance between them.
We are blessed to welcome such a dynamic and versatile ensemble cast of actors behind this film in this ensemble to this project, and I'm thrilled to work with all of them.
Shahjehan Khan (SUCCESSION, DELI BOYS), is himself an older brother in long-term recovery for the last 15 years. He is joined by queer actress and comedian Kausar Mohammed (MO, THE FLASH, JURASSIC PARK: CHOAS THEORY) as Zeba, and veteran Pakistan-American actor Iqbal Theba (GLEE, DELI BOYS, COMMUNITY, LAND OF GOLD) as Arash.
We are building out the rest of our cast and are excited to share more details as they develop!
The Long Island I know is a tapestry of immigrant communities overflowing from the city: Jewish, Italian, Caribbean, Arab, and Asian. My Pakistani community moved out on the Island in search of picture perfect homes they could build, the products of their sacrifices towards the American Dream.
With this film, I want to uplift the many Long Island homes I grew up in and around. Homes that flooded and lost power during Hurricane Sandy. Homes that overflow with guests on Eid and wedding celebrations. Homes that carry the memory of family members seven seas away.
Addiction, estrangement and intergenerational trauma haunt the Khokhars, making their family home a place of painful memories discarded like old photographs. As our main filming location, we’ll be able to show the family home in various manifestations using naturalistic lighting styles: amid an approaching storm; during a blackout via intimate candlelight; and in the harsh, gloomy, cloudy light of day.
Like a home video, the camera captures the highs and lows of a South Asian American family recovering from years of addiction, estrangement and intergenerational trauma.
Blending realism and melodrama, THE LONG JAZEERA is a dramedy about a family putting back the missing pieces.
Here are some comparable films:
We are inspired by rich, character-driven stories, cultural nuance and a familiar sense of home, such as HIS THREE DAUGHTERS which infuses a New York childhood home with the nostalgia of happier times, and THE FAREWELL which depicts the cultural barriers between immigrant New Yorkers and their elders back home. The house of THE LONG JAZEERA will show the clash between the memories of the past and the divide of the present.
With this film, we want to destigmatize addiction and promote mental health in South Asian and Muslim families. We plan to reach our audience directly and build momentum through authenticity, community partnerships, and word-of-mouth in partnership with South Asian and Muslim-led local organizations, mosques and university groups.
While our film represents a Pakistani American family, our themes of family reconciliation, identity, and intergenerational tension are universal. We're excited to promote this film to an audience as diverse as our themes, from the South Asian & Muslim diaspora in North America, UK, Australia, and the Middle East, to the immigrant households worldwide to indie film lovers of all stripes. Our film offers our audience of all backgrounds something they rarely get to see -- a Muslim family being messy, funny and real.
As a team, our work is rooted in telling everyday stories about people's voices are often shut out of the mainstream. My short film Super Sonic, inspired by my experience as a hard of hearing filmmaker, went to the Oscar-qualifying Austin film festival and was screened in five different countries, including Pakistan. My short film Post Term, inspired by my parents’ early marriage and immigration to the US, was distributed through JetBlue and Focus Features, and won the Gotham Film Student Film Award.
Producer Rabia Sultana's work has been recognized at festivals across the world, including at Sundance, Tribeca, Woodstock, Aspen. She believes a multicultural catalog of film is crucial to society’s health, as each culture has its own special ingredient of wisdom. Rabia hopes her body of work to be a safe haven for the disenfranchised, a place where mystique, empowerment, and belonging can be found. Her work is now available on Tubi, Amazon, and more.
In addition to his career as an actor, Shahjehan Khan is a founding member of Muslim cult favorite punk band The Kominas, and Webby Award-winning podcast host of The King of the World which explores his artistic journey and addiction recovery against the impacts of a post 9/11 world.
The Long Jazeera builds on our previous work of telling a story true to our roots. Thanks to the incredible team of producers, cast and crew and to organizations like Tasveer and Film Independent, the film is now one step closer to becoming a reality.
PROJECT TIMELINE
We plan to film this in Fall 2026 in Long Island, New York, where I was born and raised. The funds we raise will allow us to film in the fall, with the plan to complete and release the film by 2028.
We're excited to make this film with the support of our communities and show the industry how hungry audiences are for Muslim stories that show us in our full complexity. As we make connections with investors and community partners, our Seed and Spark campaign is focusing on securing the essentials our cast and crew need in order to bring their full talent and passion onset. No amount of contribution towards making this film is too small.
If you have a local catering business, equipment rentals, a bed and breakfast in Long Island, or plenty of Pakistani clothes and cheez you need to get rid of, please get in touch! We are excited to collaborate with Long Island community partners in representing the Island both onscreen and behind the camera.
Here is an glimpse at some of the costs your pledge will support!
If we reach our fundraising goal before the end of the campaign, we will continue to fundraise to reach our stretch goal of $50,000. Our additional funds will go towards securing our lenses, locations and more!
TL;DR: how to support and inquires:
- THE LONG JAZEERA is fiscally sponsored by FILM INDEPENDENT, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL donations to this campaign are tax-deductible: The Film Independent will issue tax receipts for your donation.
- We are seeking private equity investors to invest in the film. Please reach out to us directly if you’d like to discuss investment opportunities: [email protected]
- We are seeking in-kind support in the NYC and Long Island area towards our catering, cast and crew accommodations, filming locations and more. We plan to work with local South Asian and Muslim businesses and organizations in telling a story which speaks directly to our communities.
If you are unable to pledge a contribution at this time, we would be deeply grateful if you could:
- Help us get to 350 followers on Seed and Spark! Follow us today (make sure you sign up on Seed and Spark to follow us)
- Follow us @thelongjazeera on Instagram
- Share this project with your network
- Connect us with someone who might be interested in supporting us in bringing this film to the finish line!
Easy Copy & Paste Social Share
Option 1:
I just backed THE LONG JAZEERA — a new feature film about mental health and intergenerational trauma in South Asian families. Support the film here on Seed&Spark: https://tinyurl.com/3f8a7737
Option 2:
Proud to support the new feature film THE LONG JAZEERA— telling the kind of complex story about South Asian Muslim families we need now more than ever. Check it out on Seed&Spark + share: https://tinyurl.com/3f8a7737
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals - Lunch
Costs $10,000
We will be feeding the best Long Island has to offer to our crew -- if you are a Long Island business with catering please get in touch!
Equipment Rentals
Costs $8,000
Help us secure our lighting and grip needs to show all the details in our family home onscreen.
Production Design
Costs $5,000
Help us design our Long Island home and hurricane building around it.
Lodging
Costs $10,000
Help us house our cast and crew so they get a good night's sleep in between shoot days!
Crew
Costs $7,000
Help us secure reasonable rates for our local New York and Long Island crew!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director: Saleem Nasir Gondal
Saleem Nasir Gondal (he/him) is a hard-of-hearing Pakistani American filmmaker. Born in Long Island, based in New York, his work explores themes of language and intimacy in BIPOC communities onscreen.
Saleem's work has been supported by The Black List, The National Board of Review, The Gotham, Pillars Fund, Tasveer, MPAC Hollywood Bureau and the Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab. Saleem's short film SUPER SONIC has screened in five different countries, including the Austin Film Festival, TIDE Film Festival and the Asian American International Film Festival. Saleem's short POST TERM is a winner of the Focus Features | JetBlue Short Film Showcase and has been screened at CAAMFest, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, International South Asian Film Festival of Canada, Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI), and more.
He has a BFA from NYU Tisch and MFA from Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema Brooklyn College.
Producer: Rabia Sultana
Rabia Sultana is a filmmaker based in NYC and LA, originally from East London.
She began her artistic journey performing at Stratford Theatre and Criterion Theatre before studying Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. A 2021-2022 PGA Create Fellow, she received a grant from Google & PGA to produce Haider, Texas, which premiered at the Produced By Conference. Her recent projects include Ricky (Sundance 2025, Best Dramatic Director), Edge of Everything (Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2024, Panavision Best Independent Feature).
Select credits include Fairyland (Sundance 2023), Angelfish (TIFF), and The Climb (Cannes, Un Certain Regard). Rabia has produced work for Hulu, Netflix, HBO, and The Juilliard School. Passionate about amplifying diverse voices, she sees film as a catalyst for empowerment and belonging.
A member of BAFTA and the Producers Guild of America, she is dedicated to expanding global narratives in cinema.
Line Producer: Gabriela Tamariz
Gabriela Tamariz is a Nicaraguan-Canadian-American producer based in New York City. For the past 10 years, she’s had the pleasure of producing commercials, short films, short documentaries, web series, photography, television and now film. In television + film, she’s worked as a production supervisor for sketch comedy shows such as HBO’s Fantasmas and MAX’s That Damn Michael Che Show. Her first feature indie film BUNNY premiered at SXSW Film & TV Festival 2025 and went on the screen at Tribeca before its theatrical release by Vertical.
Cinematographer: Gianna Badiali
Gianna Badiali is a Swiss cinematographer based in New York City. Her work has been selected at festivals around the world including the Venice International Film Festival, Telluride, SXSW, Tribeca, Palm Springs Shortfest and SFFILM, and has won awards from HBO and the DGA. After a childhood spent in Switzerland, India and Italy, she studied Visual Arts and Computer Science at Brown University before pursuing a career in filmmaking. She holds an MFA in Film from NYU Tisch School of The Arts where she was a ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award finalist and the winner of the Nestor Almendros Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. She is a 2024 ASC Vision mentee.
Production Designer: Rhea D’Souza
Rhea D'Souza is a production designer originally from Mumbai, India with an innate desire to birth worlds by balancing the honesty of humanity with the magic of film making. Currently based in New York, she has completed her MFA in Production Design from NYU Tisch School of the Arts (2021). She has worked on Indian feature films like Gully Boy, A Death in the Gunj, etc. and on commercials and photoshoots for Kiehl’s, Meta, Target, UPS etc. Her films have screened at film festivals like Tribeca Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Asian American International Film Festival Festival to name a few.
Lead (Shamim): Shahjehan Khan
Shahjehan Khan (he/him) is a Boston-based actor, musician, and podcast producer.
Co-founder of Desi/Muslim punk rock legends THE KOMINAS and more than 13 years sober, he has a deep understanding and appreciation for the highs and lows of community representation, having been an extremely visible part of these conversations since the early 2000's.
Shaj is now a versatile and blooming on-screen force. You’ll see him in Dylan Sprouse’s action-packed thriller AFTERMATH on Netflix and in shows like DELI BOYS, SUCCESSION, THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, and FOR ALL MANKIND.
Lead (Zeba): Kausar Mohammed
Kausar Mohammed is a queer, Muslim, Pakistani actress and writer who stars in ‘APPENDAGE’ opposite Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Hadley Robinson (Little Women), world premiering at SXSW 2023. Mohammed wrote and stars in the holiday romantic comedy THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT, directed by Fawzia Mirza, which world-premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. Mohammed recently starred as Dr. Meena Dhawan AKA Fast Track on The CW series THE FLASH, and earlier as Soraya Abbas on The CW series 4400. She starred in Paul Feig's series “EAST OF LA BREA” and voices Yaz, one of the fan favorite lead characters, on Dreamworks and Amblin’s hit show JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS.
Mohammed’s standout performance as Rakhi in COFFEE SHOP NAMES is currently streaming on HBO MAX. Mohammed is a writer/performer in the distinguished all-South Asian sketch comedy troupe The Get Brown, who is currently developing various film and series projects, and performed two seasons of continuously sold-out shows at Upright Citizen's Brigade LA. Other credits include WHAT MEN WANT (Paramount), LITTLE (Universal), SILICON VALLEY (HBO), BLACK LIGHTNING (The CW), and CAROL’S SECOND ACT (CBS). Mohammed was also a featured talent in the ViacomCBS Diversity Showcase 2021. Kausar also is the co-founder of SHIFT, a racial and gender equity consulting group created by women of color.