Pillars Fund
Pillars Artist Fellows Gather in NYC for First Retreat
/ October 11, 2024
Against the backdrop of a city as vibrant and diverse as its storytelling, a new Pillars Artist Fellowship cohort gathered for an unforgettable weekend. These filmmakers, who are currently working all around the globe, were about to embark on a life and career-changing experience, united by their passion for telling stories that mattered. On August 23rd, Mahnoor Euceph, Amber Fares, Nuhash Humayun, Soudade Kaadan, Liam LoPinto, Aiman Mimiko, Maryam Mir, Warda Mohamed, and Mobolaji Olambiwonnu gathered together for the first time in New York City. Over the next four days, they bonded with one another, met with Netflix showrunners and featured filmmakers and explored different aspects of this city that resonate with their identity.
Day one started at the Poster House Museum. As the fellows walked into a private room, they discovered walls covered in an extensive and colorful timeline with dates starting from the early 1800s all the way to 2024. Each date featured a prominent moment in Muslim history and culture, from Thomas Jefferson hosting an iftar at the White House in 1805 to Riz Ahmed winning an Oscar in 2022. Educator and oral historian Zaheer Ali led the cohort’s first activity: choosing moments in the timeline that influenced them. He used this exercise to show the relationship between an artist, their art and its context, and how it can relate back to the audience.
The next session, “Listening as a Creative Act,” featured Zaheer and hip-hop artist and poet Omar Offendum. Zaheer and Omar were both part of our 2020 Muslim Narrative Change cohort. Omar explained his creative process and the different ways he looks for the inspiration behind his incredible work. While listening to one of his songs, he mentioned, “The idea that I could reference stuff like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusades and still make it sound like it’s from this era is something really important to me too.” Zaheer called this creative development “a collaborative engagement between a listening creator and a creative listener, and that’s what [Omar] is doing and that’s what we’re all doing.”
The group then jumped onto the subway and made its way to Harlem, where they met with historian, tour guide, and founder of New York Narratives, Asad Dandia. Asad led the cohort on a three-hour walking tour guided by Malcolm X’s autobiography. They walked the path he once did while Dandia interspersed excerpts from the book and explained the significance of each stop, such as the Harlem YMCA, Faith Temple Deliverance Church and Harlem Hospital. The tour ended outside of the Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, where the group learned about the impact his legacy still has today and heard this excerpt from the book, “Yes, I have cherished my ‘demagogue’ role. I know that society has often killed the people who have helped change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America – then all the credit is due to Allah. And only the mistakes have been mine.”
The next day at Poster House, actor and director Slick Naim spoke about his journey from struggling to make it into the industry to directing every episode of season one of “Mo” and developing his own show for Netflix. He advised the group to continue following their passions and go wherever the story takes them. “Just do what makes you feel happier or what you feel creatively needs to get out. If you like a certain genre and this is what you wanna do, then that’s what you wanna do and it’s ok to be boxed. If you have other creative ambitions and endeavors, then I implore you to explore all of them. We’re only here for a certain amount of time, and there’s only a certain period where you can do it.”
The spotlight then turned toward the fellows as they each screened five minutes of their work. The cohort watched in amazement at the diverse selection of immersive documentary filmmaking, fictional narratives and genre-defining horror. In one way or another, all of their films exemplified what it means to put oneself into one’s work. This showcase sparked laughs and tears and helped the filmmakers better understand each other and connect on a deeper level.
The day continued with “House of Cards” showrunner Beau Willimon as he spoke to the cohort about how he went from a struggling playwright to showrunning the first Netflix-produced television series. After that, a documentary panel with Jessica Beshir, Omar Mullick and two fellowship alumni, Zeshawn Ali and Nausheen Dadabhoy. They connected on their shared love of filmmaking and overcoming obstacles. One of the fellows shared how they’re trying to find a balance between their creative passions and the impact it has on their family obligations. Omar said to them, “There’s worth in that work ethic. You’re not selling out. If I’m doing my dream or if I’m working and that day I made money for my kids or to send home, then Allahu Akbar.”
Day two concluded with a private tour of Islamic art at the Metropolitan Museum with art historian and educator Rayyan Mikati. She set the tone of the tour by saying, “As soon as we start pulling away the superficial idea that we have of Islam and Islamic art and what it means to be a Muslim artist, we find that there’s a lot more complexity in there and a lot more contradictions in there than we may have thought before.” With that in mind, she walked us through the rich history behind various pieces people may otherwise walk past.
The third day of the retreat started off with the team from Watermelon Pictures, Badie Ali and Munir Atalla. Watermelon Pictures focuses on telling stories from Palestinian and other marginalized voices and uplifting narratives that aspire to justice and a liberated future. They spoke about the legacy of the production company and how it’s more important than ever to have diverse voices in film. “Our community hasn’t been allowed to dream bigger so there’s such an unearth of content that’s like, you know, thinking of the big franchise level or thinking at the big budget level. And to achieve cultural shift, which is really our core adjective, you need to be firing at all these levels.”
After a private tour of an exhibit at the Poster House, the fellows said their final goodbyes to the room where they had collected wisdom and memories and prepared for the Meet the Fellows Dinner. Ninety guests gathered at MyMoon in Brooklyn to celebrate and meet the new cohort. Opening remarks from Pillars Fund president Kashif Shaikh stressed the importance of authentic and nuanced storytelling by and for Muslims at this moment in time. Culture Change Managing Director Arij Mikati spoke about the goal of the fellowship, which is to be a game-changer for the industry. “There is no more important time for us to think outside the box with ten principle creatives that everyone should, and will, know.” She also read a toast from actor and fellowship partner Riz Ahmed, who expressed to the cohort: “We are here for your artistic voices, as showcased by your incredible script and film submissions. We hope this supports the growth of that talent, strengthens your voice, and adds to your sense of community.”
The retreat ended the following day with a tour of the A24 offices. They reflected on the weekend and were assigned their mentors for the rest of the program. Maryam Mir said she “feels very grateful to have this experience and this community. I feel energized and don’t want it to end – I’m a little apprehensive about it ending because I already feel myself missing the sense of community and connection I felt the last few days.” Fortunately, the cohort will reunite for another exciting retreat in London this November.
