2024-2025 Building Bridges Documentary Fund Films
Learn more about the 15 films we are supporting through the inaugural cohort of the Building Bridges Documentary Fund, through the generous support of the Doris Duke Foundation.
Love Belt, directed by Yusuf Ahmed
Feature – Production
A multigenerational story of the filmmaker’s mother as she embarks on a journey from the American midwest to the rugged highlands of Ethiopia to find her husband’s grave after 23 years in exile. Filmmaker Yusuf Ahmed documents the scars of Ethiopia’s forgotten conflict on his family, weaving a tapestry of love, loss, and forgiveness against the backdrop of Ethiopia’s silent political and environmental crisis.
The Jazz Caliphate, directed by Hisham Aidi
Feature- Production
In the heart of jazz’s rhythm lies a transcendent connection to Islam. Drawing on archival footage, live jam sessions and conversations with Muslim jazz pioneers like Ahmad Jamal and Yusef Lateef among others, this music-driven documentary explores the profound influence of Islam on jazz, weaving together vibrant melodies and rich narratives to uncover the untold story of harmony between two seemingly disparate worlds.
Untitled Palestine Film, directed by Ali Al-Arian and David Riker
Feature- Production
How did Palestine, once the most photographed place on Earth, seemingly vanish overnight from the map? This is the mystery at the heart of a new film by Ali Al-Arian and David Riker that blends dramatic storytelling and documentary realism to explore a crime committed long ago and the cover up that continues today.
Junoon, directed by Zeshawn Ali
Feature-R&D
Junoon is a docu-horror film that explores the rise of exorcisms within the Muslim and South Asian diaspora. Through an intimate and character-focused lens, we explore the complexities of these spaces as we navigate healing, spiritual evils and loneliness in the digital age.
Taxi Driver, directed by Sara Chishti
Short- Production
Taxi Driver is a window into the life of Mobinul Hoque, a driver struggling to survive within a city which preyed upon his hope to attain the American Dream. The yellow cab exists as a symbol of New York; our film explores the life of Hoque, as he wrestles with feeling discarded by the city, foregrounding his ongoing struggle to maintain his humanity – grappling with bankruptcy, foreclosure, and even suicide.
Traces of Home, directed by Colette Ghunim
Feature-Post-Production
Filmmaker Colette Ghunim embarks on journeys with her parents to find the ancestral houses they were forced to flee as children in Mexico and Palestine. Colette’s initial desire to heal her disconnect from her cultures and her parents reveals an internal quest to discover home within herself.
Uncommitted, directed by Razi Jafri
Short- Post- Production
Uncommitted follows Muslim grassroots leaders and their elected allies as they spearhead the Uncommitted National Movement, striving to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and redefine American political priorities far beyond the 2024 Presidential Election.
Tacabbir: A Somali Odyssey in NYC, directed by Aisha Jama
Short- R&D
A visual anthology, Tacabbir: A Somali Odyssey in NYC charts the migration patterns, sites and kinship forged between Somalis in New York City at the turn of the 20th century and beyond.
Karachi Sky, directed by Sofian Khan
Feature- Production
After filmmaker Sofian Khan is rocked by the sudden passing of his former romantic partner and creative collaborator, the famed Pakistani model-turned-writer Annie Ali Khan, he channels his grief into cinematic expression, embarking on a poignant journey of remembrance and creative tribute. Spanning 15 years and two continents, Karachi Sky is an intimate story of love and loss.
Alien Nation, directed by Khaula Malik
Feature-R&D
When a middle-aged Pakistani-Muslim couple spots what they believe to be a UFO outside their window, they embark on a long road trip to Roswell, New Mexico meeting others along the way who also pose the same question: Are we not alone in the universe?
Untitled Sura Mallouh Film, directed by Sura Mallouh
Feature- Production
Two friends uncover a conflict that divides their already embattled community. Told from all sides, with unprecedented access to courtrooms, anonymous sources and community leaders, this observational film unfolds in real time.
The Night Before the Truce, directed by Yumna Patel
Feature-Production
Minutes before a temporary truce takes hold in Gaza, the home of the Dardasawi family is bombed, killing three of their children. Now, six months later, Walaa Dardasawi navigates uncharted water as she journeys to America with her two surviving children in order to seek medical treatment for 9-year-old Rakan. Struggling through her grief and fear of the future, Walaa finds hope again in the home of a Palestinian-American family in Texas.
Thank You for Thinking of Me, directed by Akram Shibly
Feature-Post-Production
When a single mother is assaulted by the police, a Black Muslim father challenges the city of Buffalo for the sake of her freedom. From the darkness of her incarceration, to the dawn of activists rallying behind her, Deyanna’s quest for justice encapsulates America’s largest mass movement in history.
The Nile Splits, directed by Zuff Shoya
Feature- Production
In the months leading to a civil conflict, a filmmaker reunites with his family in Sudan after 15 years apart. As he uncovers his connection to an ancient tribe that has lived on the Nile for millennia, he probes for answers to a whimsical question: does the Nile split, or does it meet?
Chosen Fathers: Healing Through Brotherhood, directed by Mobolaji Olambiwonnu
Feature- Production
Chosen Fathers is an intimate portrait of a pioneering support network of Black fathers who have lost a child to violence, in many cases at the hands of the police, as they seek healing and connection at a weeklong retreat led by the group’s founder, Michael Brown, Sr.
