maryam k. mir

A dream come true. Honored and humbled to be part of this brilliant and big-hearted cohort of Muslim filmmakers disrupting tired, harmful narratives with honest, compelling and dignified portrayals of our communities. I am so excited to imagine new worlds, uplift each other’s work and expand our sense of collective possibility together 🥹✨ Thank you @pillarsfund @rizahmed @arijmikati @aonimer @kashifmanifesto and Left Handed Films for this incredible opportunity! Yallaaaa, chalooo, let’s goooo 💪🏽 my 📸 by the one n only @ayangbe_m

Sweet Refuge has a poster and I couldn’t be more delighted. I first stumbled across @farahjaka ‘s art way before Sweet Refuge was even complete. Immediately, I knew we had to find a way to work with her. The textures, the colors, the movement contained in her paintings were full of feeling. They felt alive. I reached out to her on Instagram and shared a link to the film. She shared she loved the film and would love to work together, but unfortunately our budget was limited and we couldn’t afford to commission a custom painting. Instead, I asked if we could use one of her existing paintings. In response, she asked to speak over a video call. A few days later, we chatted. It was a beautiful and touching conversation I’ll remember for a long time. Even though we had never met, she shared her own story so openly, and the source of her art—her love and longing for Damascus. Nearly every day after she finishes her full-time job, she paints. She paints to remember, to preserve, to honor, to uplift. She paints for healing, for connection. She shared that her father, too, had moved to the US alone and worked in catering, much like the main character of Sweet Refuge. She insisted she wanted to create a painting especially for the film, with whatever budget we had. And what a gift she has given us. In it, she not only captures the energy of our main character as his hands seem to sway, poised mid-song, but also all the details: his golden, round baklava tray adorned with flowers, his blue tati bag and green beret, and a bowl of glowing, orange ladoos to hint at what (and who!) is to come. From there, @chheangkea generously photographed the original painting Farah had mailed all the way from Paris. Then, the talented @skainady took the painting and created a beautiful canvas for it to live upon. Adorning its edges with a baklava-inspired border, color-correcting the image, and meticulously choosing a font and style that created a feeling of something handcrafted. The most fulfilling thing about making this film has been its continuing journey of serendipitous connection, and I am so grateful for fulfilling collaborations with these brilliant and vibrant artists.

So excited to share that Sweet Refuge has won the Jury Award at the @directorsguild DGA Student Film Awards in the Asian American category! Eternally grateful to the mighty & magnificent cast and crew that brought this film to life with such care, humor and warmth. Starring Laith Nakli @laithnakli Mahira Kakkar @mahirakakkar Waseem Alzer Sean Hinckle Sara Wali @therealswali Shivani Shah @shivshah31 Odera Adimorah Kristina Osterling Maga Uzo Galal Chater Writer/Director - Maryam Mir Producers - Sara Balghonaim @sara__be Aya Hamdan @ayahamdan Executive Producers - Laith Nakli @laithnakli Aelita Parker @aelitaparker Associate Producers - Zakir Mir @thierry_zakaka Ziyad Shihadah, Bassel Zaouk @bassel.z , Matthew Williams Director of Photography - Chheangkea Ieng @chheangkea Assistant Director - Ifeyinwa Arinze @ifyarinzee Assistant Camera - Anndi Liggett @seranndipity Sound Mixer - Nicole Cone @nikki_cone Gaffer - Aiman Morounfolu @aim_miko Chris Del Rio Solorzano @xrisdelrio Key Grip - Nigam Bhandari @nigam_of_np Grip - Nada Bedair @nadabedair Production Designer - Rhea D’Souza @rheaaa24 Costume Designer - Karen Boyer @karenrboyer Art Director - Cloe Skodnek @cloeskodnek Assistant Art Director - Jiaying Zhang Unit Production Manager - Arthur Bassas Production Assistants - Sara Bugaighis, Avinash Bhaya @_avibhaya Gurkirat Singh, Waleed Alqahtani @waleedkq Audrey Grace Romjue On set Photographer - Ann Feletto Translator - Sarah Aziza @sarahaziza17 Editor - Maryam Mir Composer - Isa Najem @isa.najem Sound Designer - Lee Salevan Colorist - Alexia Salingaros Title and Credits - Mariam Al Sairafi Title inspired by Marhaf and Nawal Homsi Made possible with support from Kalustyan’s, Dean CrossFit, Manousheh, Islamic Scholarship Fund @islamicscholarshipfund Special shoutout to @andy.brame for sharing this award with me and encouraging me to apply! 🙏🏽✨

Join us on Wednesday, February 4, for a screening of documentary short AFTER ALL THIS, profiling Margins alumna Sarah Thankam Mathews (@smathewss ), author of ALL THIS COULD BE DIFFERENT, directed by Oscar-shortlisted filmmaker Andrew Nadkarni (@andrewnadkarni ) and produced by Open City alumna, Maryam Mir (@mmircat )! 💞 Following the screening, Sarah will do a live reading of her novel in progress, never before shared publicly. The reading will be followed by a conversation between Sarah and Andrew, moderated Maryam. Don’t miss this special celebration of friendship, literature, and film. 🎥🎞️ RSVP at aaww.org/events/.

MERRY 🎅🏾 this one is going to be fun! 🌞🛷🌴 @dohafilm @10milsproductions

Don’t miss our conversation with rising filmmaker Maryam Mir, writer-director of the DGA Award winning short SWEET REFUGE and producer of the documentary short AFTER ALL THIS. We spoke with her about taking on new challenges, her filmmaking inspirations, growing up South Asian in the Gulf, and the pressures of representation. Head to the link in our bio to read it now!

✨After All This✨ is now streaming on @pbs !! It was a true privilege to capture @smathewss ’s singular voice. So grateful to everyone who helped bring this intimate portrait to life 🪩 __ Following the success of her debut novel, All This Could Be Different, author Sarah Thankam Mathews embarks on her second novel, drawing from imagination and her layered upbringing between India and Oman. As she excavates lost place and time, Sarah must contend with the weight of truthful representation and the contradictions within her childhood memories. __ This film is part of In The Making season 3, a documentary short series produced by @pbsamericanmasters and @firelight_media that follows the process and impact of artists in motion—deepening, questioning, and becoming. __ featuring @smathewss director/producer @andrewnadkarni producer @mmircat co-producers @dev48 @megrowave editor @digzag cinematographer @anumeha__ original score @rachikanayar additionally featured Shireen Mathews archival cinematography George Puthenkulam additional cinematography @fakerayka assistant editor @katrinspirido post @cuttersstudios post-producer @jayeayresbrown sound @anothercountrystudios sound design/mix @loganvines4 finishing @flavor.tv color @assemblypost supervising colorist @carretero.color colorist @fontbullrich special thanks Ifeyinwa Arinze @judechehab @bedatridc @kyle.crichton @jotheshmo @ashgohhua @emmahuntington @jalena.kl @reenashah111 @goodjob_jenny @awpwriter @theiowawriterswksp @nationalbookfoundation for in the making executive producers Stanley Nelson, Marcia Smith @miguelegalama @moninavarro @themosaicman supervising producer @robinderu prod coordinator @myrakel.mov a by the creek production prod services by counsel media __ Link to view the film in bio

Sweet Refuge is now a @nownessasia Pick! Thank you @mikobborje for the thoughtful write up, sharing the stories and intentions behind the making of this sweet film - link in bio to read the full article and TO WATCH 🔗👀 « I wanted to show that beyond trends, myths or narratives, connection is the thing that endures. Beyond the material, our sense of solidarity, belonging and compassion with, and for, one another is what sustains us. » - @mmircat Congratulations team! Starring @laithnakli & @mahirakakkar Written & Directed by @mmircat Produced by @sara.balghonaim & @ayahamdan Cinematography by @chheangkea Production Design by @rheaaa24 Costumes @karenrboyer Art Director @cloeskodnek Composer @isa.najem Colorist @alexia_films Sound Design Lee Salevan Cast Waseem Alzer Sean Hinckle @hinckle.sean Shivani Shah @shivshah31 Odera Adimirah @oderaadimorah Kristina Osterling Maga Uzo Galal Chater Nigam Bhandari Made possible with support from @nyutisch @kalustyans @manoushehnyc @islamicscholarshipfund Learn more here 10mils.com/film/sweet-refuge #nowness #nownesspicks #nownessasia #nownessasiapicks

Thrilled to announce that ✨Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This✨ will premiere at Hot Springs Doc Film Fest and DOC NYC this Fall !! The documentary short will be part of #InTheMaking S3, produced by @pbsamericanmasters and @firelight_media for @pbs The series follows artists on their way to becoming maestros of their disciplines. __ Following the success of her debut novel, All This Could Be Different, author Sarah Thankam Mathews embarks on her second novel, drawing from imagination as well as her growing up between India and Oman. As Sarah excavates lost place and time, she must contend with the weight of truthful representation and the contradictions within her childhood memories. __ World Premiere @hsdff Tues, Oct 22 @ 5pm Hot Springs, Arkansas NYC Premiere @docnycfest Tues, Nov 19 @ 7:45pm Village East by Angelika __ featuring @smathewss director/producer @andrewnadkarni producer @mmircat co-producers @dev48 @megrowave editor @digzag cinematographer @anumeha__ original score @rachikanayar additionally featured Shireen Mathews archival cinematography George Puthenkulam additional cinematography @fakerayka assistant editor @katrinspirido post @cuttersstudios post-producer @jayeayresbrown sound @anothercountrystudios sound design/mix @loganvines4 finishing @flavor.tv color @assemblypost supervising colorist @carretero.color colorist @fontbullrich special thanks Ifeyinwa Arinze @judechehab @bedatridc @kyle.crichton @jotheshmo @ashgohhua @emmahuntington @jalena.kl @reenashah111 @goodjob_jenny @awpwriter @theiowawriterswksp @nationalbookfoundation for in the making executive producers Stanley Nelson, Marcia Smith @miguelegalama @moninavarro @themosaicman supervising producer Robinder Uppal prod coordinator @myrakel.mov a by the creek production prod services by counsel media __ More info and tickets in bio

🟠 WATCH: ‘Sweet Refuge’ in the #linkinbio Sweet Refuge courses a passionate Syrian baker as he spends his first Eid in the US attempting to sell the sweet he’s spent his lifetime perfecting: walnut baklava. Starring Laith Nakli @laithnakli Mahira Kakkar @mahirakakkar Waseem Alzer Sean Hinckle Sara Wali @therealswali Shivani Shah @shivshah31 Odera Adimorah Kristina Osterling Maga Uzo Galal Chater Writer/Director - Maryam Mir @mmircat Producers - Sara Balghonaim @sara__be  Aya Hamdan @ayahamdan Executive Producers - Laith Nakli @laithnakli  Aelita Parker @aelitaparker Associate Producers - Zakir Mir @thierry_zakaka  Ziyad Shihadah, Bassel Zaouk @bassel.z  , Matthew Williams Director of Photography - Chheangkea Ieng @chheangkea Assistant Director - Ifeyinwa Arinze @ifyarinzee Assistant Camera - Anndi Liggett @seranndipity Sound Mixer - Nicole Cone @nikki_cone Gaffer - Aiman Morounfolu @aim_miko Chris Del Rio Solorzano @xrisdelrio Key Grip - Nigam Bhandari @nigam_of_np Grip - Nada Bedair @nadabedair Production Designer - Rhea D’Souza @rheaaa24 Costume Designer - Karen Boyer @karenrboyer Art Director - Cloe Skodnek @cloeskodnek Assistant Art Director - Jiaying Zhang Unit Production Manager - Arthur Bassas Production Assistants - Sara Bugaighis, Avinash Bhaya @_avibhaya  Gurkirat Singh, Waleed Alqahtani @waleedkq  Audrey Grace Romjue On set Photographer - Ann Feletto Translator - Sarah Aziza @sarahaziza17 Editor - Maryam Mir Composer - Isa Najem @isa.najem Sound Designer - Lee Salevan Colorist - Alexia Salingaros Title and Credits - Mariam Al Sairafi Title inspired by Marhaf and Nawal Homsi Made possible with support from Kalustyan’s, Dean CrossFit, Manousheh, Islamic Scholarship Fund @islamicscholarshipfund

a symphony of dancing hands

sunshine & zine zine zine time 😌🌞✨ post-graduation & starting to dream again 💛 inspired by malakagharib’s mini-zines