The Halal Gap

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 @bambzz24Panelists: Hoda Ali @thatgirlhoda, Kajsa Erickson @telefilm_canada, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Imran J. Khan @imranjkhanProducer: Asif Quraishi @sifqVideographer: Yousuf Iqbal @yi_studiosFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: Imran J. Khan @imranjkhanProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqSound Editor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodThe 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @yonusshakeFollow 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 @bambzz24Guest: Amal Dalmar @itsamalworldProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqSound Engineer: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @satiq31Guest: Just Moe (Mohamed Ahmed) @iamjustmoeProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesResearcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hassTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodInjured Reserve: Sofia Alani @bambzz24Follow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: Simrah Farrukh @simrahfarrukhProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesResearcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hassTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: Kashif Pasta @kashifpasta @dunyamediaProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesResearcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hassTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfesthttps://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: WatchWithNeebz @watchwithneebz @salaamnerdspodcastProducer and YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesResearcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hassTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmz and Salman Mahmood @mr.salmanmahmoodFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfesthttps://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: Yazmeen Kanji @yazmeenkanji @director.yazmeenProducer & YouTube Thumbnail: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesResearcher: Zaid Hassan @zaid.hassTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmzFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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 @bambzz24Guest: Alex Kronemer @upftvProducer: Asif Quraishi @sifqEditor: Vikram Chouhan @whitenoisetunesTile Art: Narmeen Saiyed @naarmzFollow 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mosquersfilmfest/https://www.tiktok.com/@mosquersfilmfest?https://twitter.com/themosquershttps://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

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.