The South Asian House initiative, which aims to highlight, recognize and appreciate South Asians in film and television, has partnered with the Islamic Scholarship Fund to present programming at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, marking a significant collaboration for South Asian, Arab and Muslim representation in the entertainment industry.
The partnership will present a series of panels, mixers and cultural events during festival week, with support from the Brown Girl Clubhouse, a community platform for South Asian women. Programming is designed to champion representation in film, television and media while creating spaces for connection and creative celebration.
Key events include a June 3 filmmakers event presented by the Arab Film and Media Institute at MadamJi, and a June 4 “Filmmakers & chai” gathering at the Brown Girl Clubhouse.
Industry talks will feature South Asian House founder and Box Office Guru Media’s Rohi Mirza Pandya, Academy member Hemal Trivedi, entertainment attorney Maaha Khan, Arab Film and Media Institute managing director Maya Labban, musician-actor Samrat Chakrabarti, filmmaker-actor Aizzah Fatima, and comedian Atheer Yacoub.
Spotlight conversations will include filmmakers from Tribeca-selected films “Pinch,” directed by Uttera Singh, and “Poreless,” produced by and starring Akbar Hamid and co-written by Fawzia Mirza.
ISF, the first U.S. grant-giving organization supporting filmmakers telling Muslim stories, will curate a short film screening at the BG Clubhouse featuring work by Kausar Mohammad, Habib Yazdi, Fatimah Asghar and additional filmmakers to be announced.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the BG Clubhouse, AFMI and ISF to create a home for South Asian, Arab and Muslim stories and storytellers during Tribeca,” said Pandya. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to fostering community, breaking barriers, and celebrating the richness of our cultures.”
South Asian House will also return to the Tribeca Festival AT&T Untold Stories Lounge with a panel titled “Drafting Complex Stories in a Simplified World” on June 11. Pandya and ISF artist development and partnerships manager Aizzah Fatima are producing the discussion, which will focus on the growing importance of supporting complex, female-driven narratives in film and television.
The panel aims to address how inclusive storytelling creates deeper audience connections and fuels new media perspectives, serving as a call to action for more meaningful representation and greater opportunities for women in filmmaking.
Founded by Pandya and Monika Samtani, South Asian House creates celebratory spaces for South Asian communities at major festivals and cultural events. ISF, established in 2009, works to elevate American Muslim storytelling in media and expand access to justice and representation for underrepresented communities.
