Asif Kapadia, Amjad Rasheed shine at 1st Muslim Film Festival
What's the story
The inaugural Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF)—held in London from Thursday to Sunday—concluded with Amjad Al Rasheed's debut feature Inshallah A Boy winning the best feature award.
The festival was initiated by producer Sajid Varda to showcase international Muslim culture and faith through diverse filmmakers.
Upon receiving the award, Rasheed expressed his gratitude by saying, "I'm honored to be competing with these great films and winning Best Feature at the Muslim International Film Festival. Thank you."
Festival highlights
'Inshallah A Boy' journey and other award winners
Inshallah A Boy, before its triumph at MIFF, debuted in the Critics Week sidebar at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and was showcased at several other prestigious film festivals including Red Sea, Bengaluru, and Thessaloniki.
The best short award at MIFF was won by Elham Elhas's BAFTA-nominated Yellow.
The short project is depicted as a "touching and visually compelling" narrative about a woman living in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan who purchases her first full-body veil.
Trailblazer recognition
Asif Kapadia honored with inaugural Trailblazer Award
Academy Award, Grammy, and four-time BAFTA winner Asif Kapadia was honored with the inaugural Trailblazer Award at MIFF's opening gala.
Born to working-class British Indian Muslim parents, Kapadia is renowned for his documentary features such as Senna, Amy, and Diego Maradona.
Accepting the award, he said, "It's important to show that people from all faiths and backgrounds can be successful and there should never be any boundaries or limits for what we can say, create, or express through our art."
Looking ahead
Festival concluded, preparations for the next edition underway
The festival concluded with a screening of Naqqash Khalid's In Camera on Saturday.
Reflecting on the event, the festival's producer Varda said, "Sharing this year's programme with cinema lovers in London has been a true privilege. We're already excited for our second edition in 2025."
Submissions for next year's festival are now open, marking the beginning of preparations for the upcoming edition.