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Rung Film Festival Team 2024

2024 Grand Jury

Sadia Uqaili

As a Pakistani American award-winning artist, filmmaker, and educator, Sadia Uqaili utilizes the camera and her art to inspire, motivate, heal, and celebrate. An indefatigable creative force, her work has been exhibited in more than twenty exhibits and the list of her curatorial shows runs into thirty plus, since her migration to Chicago in 2001 from Canada. Her work is currently on show at the South Asia Institute, Seen and Unseen is rated as the Top Ten exhibits by the Chicago Tribune. She has received awards for her art from the Internationale d’art Miniature, Malaysia Annual Exhibition of International Contemporary Prints, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the LoreVa Grellner Scholarship. Winner of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival Award, Wild Things was a short film produced under her direction at Snow City Arts, an arts education program serving at risk youth in hospitals that Sadia led as Artistic Director for 15 years. As a Kartemquin fellow, Sadia is currently producing Bapsi, a feature-length documentary. She is a proud member of A- Doc, BGDM, and Mezcla Media Collective. She serves on panels and juries for multimedia exhibits and at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, and the RUNG film festival in Houston.
Faran Haroon Tahir was born in Los Angeles, California while his parents were studying acting and directing at UCLA Theatre Department. He comes from a theater family well known in Pakistan and India. Both his parents are actors, directors and writers in Pakistan. Faran moved back to Los Angeles, California in 1980, when he was 17 years old. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his graduate degree from the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. He has been nominated and has won many awards for his work in theater and film.

Faran Tahir

Kamran Shaikh

Kamran Shaikh was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1974. He and his parents migrated to New York in 1980 and lived in Queens for 10 years before moving to Long Island. His breakthrough was an appearance on Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War where he decided he wanted to act for a living. His career in acting has been a fast paced success story since then, landing him major roles on shows like, Law and Order: Organized Crime, OuterBanks, Cobra Kai, Haunted Mansion, Half Baked 2, The Tutor, Ozark, The Resident, NCIS and many more.

Moderators & Panlellists (2024)

Syed Khurram Azim

Producer / Actor / Writer

Moderator: Behind the Camera Stories

Syed Khurram Azim, a seasoned Writer, Director, and Producer whose career spans over a decade, starting in 2008. As the founder of a thriving Production House based in New York, Khurram has forged collaborations with various Pakistani TV Channels and artists, bringing to life a diverse array of projects including “7 Days in Coney Island,” “Dobara Phir Se,” and “Jackson Heights.” With a keen eye for storytelling, Khurram’s works have garnered acclaim, with his web series amassing over a million views on YouTube. Currently, he’s immersed in the development of new projects, seamlessly blending his creative vision in both the bustling streets of New York and the vibrant landscapes of Pakistan. Beyond his cinematic pursuits, Khurram serves as the Creative Director of Rung Film Festival, passionately dedicated to nurturing and championing Pakistani talent within the film industry. His commitment to excellence and innovation continues to inspire and shape the future of storytelling.

Guest: Behind the Camera Stories

ASAD KIRMANI is a Writer/Director and a practicing psychiatrist in Austin, TX. While in medical school he produced and directed a film, “All the Wrong Reasons,” a full-length comedy feature about a hapless young medical student. While doing his psychiatric residency in New York City he produced and directed “Curing Gender,” a documentary about the history of psychiatry and transsexuality that has been used educationally by a number of hospitals and institutions across the country. He has written and directed three short films, “Stress Freud,” “Pornistan,” and “Hijabi.”

Asad Kirmani

Writer / Director

Rafay Rashdi

Writer / Director

Guest: Behind the Camera Stories

Rafay Rashdi, a Pakistani/Canadian filmmaker, writer, and director, was born on January 16, 1982, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in ITM from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada (2003-2006) and a Master’s degree in Business Systems Analysis Design from City University London (2007-2008). Although Rafay initially pursued a career as an IT consultant, his true passion for filmmaking led him to delve into experimental short films. With very few resources Rafay started learning filmmaking himself and would often be on the streets with his camera and filming people, environment and capturing moments.

Guest: Behind the Camera Stories

Noel Vega works in movies, TV and video games, primarily as a Producer, Line Producer and Stunt Coordinator/Action Choreographer. Examiner.com voted ‘The Citizen’, a movie he produced, a Top 10 movie of 2013. Yahoo.com named ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ as the Best Movie on Netflix of 2015. He has worked on a #1 scripted Network TV show (Martial Law, CBS), and a #1 reality show (Deadliest Warrior, Spike TV). The video games he has worked on have sold over $15 billion to date and include franchises like Call of Duty, UFC and several Marvel titles. His company AMG FILMS (amgfilmsusa.com), develops and produces entertainment projects, and provides worldwide production services.

Alan Noel Vega

Producer / Stunts / Assistant Director

Amina Chaudhry

Director

Guest: Behind the Camera Stories

Amina’s work is inspired by the belief that stories told through words, visual elements, and conversations with all types of people and in the absence of preconceived judgment, have the power to break down barriers and stereotypes leading to new paths of connection and positive interaction. As a true visualizer, she has spent more than a decade interviewing notable thought leaders, and finding under representative communities and people to help tell their stories. Her passion for storytelling comes to life most in film that showcase positive, impactful stories about minority American groups often misunderstood in the mainstream press. Her film Tariq’s Cube, won the audience award at GlobeDocs 2018 and was broadcast on PBS World Channel in the fall of 2019.

Moderator: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Arshia Hasnain is the Founder and Executive Director of Empowering Women NFP, a Chicago-based non-profit serving women survivors of domestic violence in and around Chicago, and in Illinois. She has been active in this work for many years, building partnerships in Chicago and Illinois, especially among black and brown communities. She strongly believes that women survivors need economic and financial independence through skills development along with counseling and emotional health services.

Arshia Hasnain

Founder and Executive Director of Empowering Women NFP

Kamran Kam Shaikh

Actor

Guest: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Kamran Shaikh was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1974. He and his parents migrated to New York in 1980 and lived in Queens for 10 years before moving to Long Island. His breakthrough was an appearance on Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War where he decided he wanted to act for a living. His career in acting as been a fast paced success story since then, landing him major roles on shows like, Law and Order: Organized Crime, OuterBanks, Cobra Kai, Haunted Mansion, Half Baked 2, The Tutor, Ozark, The Resident, NCIS and many more.

Guest: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Mahesh Sriram is an international model and Hollywood actor with a global presence and a wealth of international experience. Born in Hyderabad, India, Mahesh began his journey in the entertainment industry in Tollywood, making a name for himself as an actor and model. Mahesh’s talent and professional persona quickly caught the attention of the international market, leading him to work with renowned brands as both a model and actor. He has been part of major campaigns for some of the world’s top companies, including Super Bowl commercials and other high-profile projects. His striking appearance and versatility have made him a sought-after face in the industry. Driven by his ambition and commitment to his craft, Mahesh ventured into Hollywood, where his career took a new turn. He worked alongside industry giants such as Warner Bros., starring in the iconic BARBIE movie and HAUNTED MANSION BY Disney in small part, also in , BRND, SPEAR PHISHING films.

Mahesh Sriram

International Actor / Model

Samiya Khan

Actress

Guest: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Samiya Khan is a Pakistani-American Actress/Singer/Model, based in Los Angeles, California. Over the years, Samiya has always been involved with the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, one way or another. Whether it was being a professional fashion model in Los Angeles, a show stopper for various famous International designers, or opening the concert for the Bollywood singer Alka Yagnik, sharing stage with famous international singers. Samiya started her acting career in Los Angeles, with theatre. Samiya has studied acting/Improv at The Groundlings Theatre and School.

Guest: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Kashif Pasta is an award-winning director, writer, and producer using film and storytelling to tell character-driven stories centered on South Asian and Muslims with a sense of joy and wonder. Kashif co-created and directed the hit digital series “Welcome to Surrey”, co-created the “Untitled BTR Project” with Sameer Gardezi for Paul Feig’s Powderkeg, and was an MPAC-ABC Television Comedy Lab fellow for his pilot “Long Distance”. He is the co-founder of Dunya Media, a production company that empowers filmmakers of colour to tell stories with joy, wonder, and purpose, where he recently won the 2022 SXSW Grand Jury Prize and Audience Awards – Music Video for producing Desirée Dawson’s “Meet You at the Light”

Kashif Pasta

Director

Jawaad Abdul Rahman

Executive Producer / Writer

Guest: Creating South Asian lead roles for global audiences

Jawaad Abdul Rahman is a film producer with Unity Productions Foundation, having worked on a dozen films including the Emmy-Nominated “Sultan and the Saint” about Christian-Muslim Peacemaking during the Crusades, a 3-hour series for American television called “The Great Muslim American Road Trip: a travelogue of how Muslims have enriched America through historic Route 66, and the animated film, Lamyas Poem, about a refugee girl in the present who meets Rumi in the past, as they both work to fight hatred with hope. UPF is currently in production on a 2-hour series called Islam’s Greatest Love Stories. Jawaad has worked with UPF Co-Founder Michael Wolfe (The Hadj) and Director Alex Kronemer for over 15 years, as they have also consulted on episodes of popular scripted series as part of UPF’s Hollywood engagement initiative.

Moderator: Females in Films

Zehra Nawab, a Pakistani-Canadian director and actor for film, is currently a fellow at the Genre Film Lab, Canada, developing her debut feature film. She directs the documentary “Niswan Nama,” produced by two-time Oscar recipient Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (SOC) Films. Notable for her women-centered storytelling, Zehra co-directed the Canada Council Grant-funded short film “Farzana.” Her direction work extends to documentaries like “Mad Mad Mad Mad Film World,” part of the permanent collection at Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver and “Home Truths,” showcased at the Venice Biennale, earning her the National AGAHI Award for Journalism in Culture. Her acting debut was in Pakistani film “Khel Khel Mein” (2022), followed by lead roles in the Canadian short film “Spin Over” and the theater play “Transit” at Toronto Fringe in 2023.

Zehra Nawab

Director / Actress

Sadia Uqaili

Director / Producer | Upcoming Feature Documentary BAPSI

Guest: Females in Films

As an award-winning artist, documentary filmmaker, and nonprofit founder, Sadia Uqaili utilizes the camera and her art to inspire, motivate, heal, and celebrate. Born in Pakistan, educated in Canada, and the UK, and migrated to the U.S., she has received awards for her art from the Internationale d’art Miniature, Winnipeg Printmaking Exhibit, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and The World Heritage Festival. Winner of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival Award, Wild Things was a short film collaboratively produced under her direction at Snow City Arts, an arts education organization serving at-risk youth that Sadia led for 15 years. Before this, she served as the arts mentor at the Edmonton Center for Survivors of Torture and Trauma in Canada. As part of the Kartemquin Diverse Voices in Docs Fellowship, Sadia is currently producing Bapsi, her first feature-length documentary about the most preeminent Pakistani American writer and activist Bapsi Sidhwa.

Moderator: Females in Films

Among her driving passions, Nighat champions women and children’s issues, including breast cancer screenings, youth skill development, and women’s financial empowerment. Her film “Darya Kay Iss Paar” (“This Bank of the River”) won awards worldwide, drawing critical acclaim for its artistic-yet-stark portrayal of the rising incidence of suicide in Northern Pakistan. Her current film “Gunjal” addresses the scourge of child labor, a horror that is growing worldwide even within developed countries. Her work has been hailed globally by critics as “courageous” and “thought-provoking”.

Nighat Shah

Women Champion, Public Speaker & Producer

Randee Ramsey

Writer / Director

Guest: Females in Films

Randee Ramsey is a writer, director and currently serves as the Executive Director of Southwest Alternate Media Project and as a Producer on the Film Team with Mother’s Against Greg Abbott whose ads have gone viral, including the most recent ad “Thoughts and Prayers.” She holds an MFA from CalArts and has taught film for over 15 years , currently at Houston Community College but has previously been a guest lecturer at Australian University of Kuwait and University of Houston. She has also served on the Board of Women In Film and Television.

Moderator: Females in Films

Tanya Hoshi is a Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker who has built a portfolio of award-winning films, webseries, and advertisements. For the past 10 years, Tanya has focused her career path towards strategic storytelling, landing her coveted roles as the first Head of Brand Marketing at Ownr – an RBCx Venture, and Lead Producer at Shopify. Tanya’s commercial productions have been viewed globally by millions of aspiring entrepreneurs, broadcast on NBC, and won a Telly Award. Tanya has produced independent projects by securing over a million dollars in financing via both private and public funders in Canada. In 2023, Tanya produced her first feature film We Will Be Brave via Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program, which won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award at Reel Asian International Film Festival.

Tanya Hoshi

Storyteller / Producer

Michelle Mower

Screenwriter / Director

Guest: Females in Films

Mower is an award-winning screenwriter and director who has produced feature films, made-for-television movies, docu-series and commercials for Lifetime/A&E, Amazon, Apple+ and other streaming platforms. Her debut feature film THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER, about a minister’s daughter who has an affair with the music minister of her father’s church, was picked up by Lifetime/A&E where it garnered the highest rating of an original movie on LMN in 2012. This success lead to Mower writing and directing four more movies for Lifetime, most recently WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER? (2022). Mower’s independent feature THE NEVER LIST, about an overachieving teenage girl who’s perfectly planned academic life is derailed after the death of her best friend, was accepted into the AMC Indie program and was released in 112 movie theaters across the U.S. in December, 2020.

Moderator: Filming in Houston & Texas

Fatima Hye is a Bangladeshi-American Muslim woman who grew up in Houston, Texas. She earned certifications in Quranic Recitation and Classical Arabic while in Jordan. She got her BA and MA from the University of Houston, majoring in Philosophy, minoring in Psychology and Media Production. She teaches Philosophy, Humanities, and Film at San Jacinto, Houston, and Alvin Community colleges. She has completed several shorts and took her featurette “Animalium” to the Victoria, TX Independent Film Festival (currently available on Tubi). She has been a panelist/presenter at UH, HAAPI (Houston Asian-American Pacific Islander) Fest, and the Lost River Film Festival in San Marcos.

Fatima Hye

Writer / Director / Producer / Editor

Taylor Jackson

Houston Arts Alliance

Guest: Filming in Houston & Texas

Taylor serves as the new Director of Grants for Houston Arts Alliance. She is responsible for supervising the implementation of city-funded grant programs for art organizations and creative individuals in the City of Houston. Before joining Houston Arts Alliance, Taylor served as Executive Director at Providence ¡CityArts! for Youth in Providence, Rhode Island. There, she worked as the liaison between governance, financial planning, and strategic alignment of mission, vision, and values. Taylor’s passion advocating for equitable access to arts and cultural programming generated opportunities for her to work with institutions such as Rhode Island State Council for the Arts.

Guest: Filming in Houston & Texas

Born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, Shuja Uddin is a screenwriter, producer and the founder of Tishna Films, a video production company based in Austin, TX. Graduated with an MFA in Screenwriting from Boston University, Shuja brings a diverse range of media experience for Texas-based creative non-profits such as Austin Film Society, Indiememe Film Festival and City of Austin’s Asian American Resource Center. Shuja has written projects for international media entities such as P&G, FIFA, Tencent Games and the Times of India. Shuja’s short film “Article 370” received an Honorable Mention at the Prague International Indie Film Quarterly Festival 2021 edition for Best Screenwriter. Currently, Shuja is a professor at Austin Community College and also runs Austin-based private school Headwaters School’s Film Department.

Shuja Uddin

Screenwriter / Filmmaker / Educator

Alfred Cervantes

Director, Houston Film Commission

Guest: Filming in Houston & Texas

As the Executive Director of the Houston Film Commission and a native Houstonian, Alfred Cervantes has worked in the Texas film industry since 1992. As a freelance crew, some of the movies he has worked on are Reality Bites, The Chase, Jason’s Lyric, Powder, and Apollo 13. His role with the Houston Film Commission is to promote the greater City of Houston area to film producers, production executives and independent filmmakers, to scout locations and facilitate any production’s local filming experience.

Guest: Filming in Houston & Texas

Rachael Valentine Acosta is the Community Partnerships and Programs Manager for the Houston Cinema Arts Society. They are committed to reshaping social norms and amplifying the voices and stories of the underrepresented by servicing and creating safe spaces in which art and artists thrive. After 5 years of freelancing in film production, Rachael transitioned into film festival and nonprofit work. They have since worked for SXSW, ATX Television Festival, Austin Film Festival, Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP), and SFFILM.

Rachael Valentine Acosta

Houston Cinema Arts Society

Pre Selection Committee (2024)

Tayyba Maya Kanwal

Tayyba Maya Kanwal is a Pakistani-American writer from Houston, TX, Assistant Editor at Conjunctions and former Fiction Editor at Gulf Coast Journal. She teaches creative writing at the University of Houston and at the Texas Medical Center. Her own work appears in Witness Magazine, Meridian, Quarterly West, and other journals, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She won the 2022 Inprint Donald Barthelme Prize in Fiction and was the Witness Magazine 2022 Literary Awards runner-up. She holds an MFA from the University of Houston Creative Writing Program where she was an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellow, and holds an MS in Mathematics from the University of Oregon.
Shobi is a writer/director from Houston, Texas. Shobi has produced many short films and series. He is currently an executive producer at KPRC Channel 2 in Houston, Texas.

Shobi Awan (Shobi)

Natalie Thayer

Senior Copywriter

Natalie is a Senior Copywriter with nearly a decade of marketing and communications experience. As a behind-the-scenes storyteller, she helps brands develop their unique voices through carefully crafted content. She studied Media Arts at the California College of the Arts and is always ready to talk about obscure film history.