Supporting emerging filmmakers telling stories centred on U.S. Muslim experiences.
The Sundance Institute, in collaboration with the Doris Duke Foundation and Islamic Scholarship Fund, has announced the latest cohort of its Building Bridges Fellowship, with Nigerian-American filmmaker Aiman Mimiko among the six filmmakers selected.
Launched as part of the Doris Duke Foundation’s Building Bridges Program, the fellowship supports emerging filmmakers telling stories centred on U.S. Muslim experiences through funding, mentorship, creative development and access to industry resources.
The wider Building Bridges Program was established in 2007 to encourage greater understanding of and connection with Muslim communities in the U.S. Since its launch, the Doris Duke Foundation has awarded more than $50 million in grants through the programme.
Who is Aiman Mimiko?
Mimiko is a writer and director whose work explores faith, power and belonging across Muslim and African worlds.
A Princess Grace Award winner and BAFTA Connect talent, he is also a Pillars Artist Fellow and holds an MFA in Film from Columbia University.
His pilot, Casual Patricide, was a 2022 semifinalist for Fox’s Writers Incubator and the College Comedy Award. His feature project Quarters was selected for the Islamic Scholarship Fund’s inaugural Muslim Writers Lab and received the 2023 Ezra Litwak Distinction in Screenwriting, Columbia University’s highest screenwriting honour.
Mimiko’s short film Mr. Bold was also shortlisted for BAFTA’s 2023 Live Action Student Award.
Supporting Muslim filmmakers beyond a single project
The Building Bridges Fellowship aims to reduce some of the barriers faced by filmmakers developing stories about U.S. Muslim communities, providing fellows with financial backing alongside sustained creative and professional support.
Each filmmaker receives an unrestricted artist grant, year-long mentorship and a tailored package of support based on their individual career and project goals. Fellows also receive a curated Sundance Film Festival experience, access to Sundance Collab resources and Sundance Institute’s ELEVATE programme for continued professional and project development.
Zaki Barzinji, Director of the Building Bridges Program, said the latest cohort represents the breadth of the U.S. Muslim experience, with projects ranging from documentaries exploring rarely seen experiences to original fiction.
Iman Zawahry, Film Programs Director at the Islamic Scholarship Fund, also highlighted the importance of building long-term infrastructure around Muslim filmmakers, noting that the fellowship has developed into a wider network in which former fellows continue to support each other beyond their fellowship year.
Building the next generation of storytellers
This October, the fourth cohort will come together at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey, for a creative retreat designed to encourage collaboration, community and the continued development of their projects.
During the retreat, the filmmakers will receive guidance from industry advisors including historian and educator Zaheer Ali, director Dawn Porter, Watermelon Pictures Head of Production & Acquisitions Munir Atalla, Box Office Guru Media co-founders Rohi Mirza Pandya and Gitesh Pandya, and returning creative advisor, filmmaker Oualid Mouaness.
The latest cohort continues the fellowship’s wider mission to create opportunities for Muslim filmmakers to develop their craft, build lasting industry relationships and tell stories from within their own communities.