Zoya Akhtar (The Archies), Fawzia Mirza (Queen of My Dreams), and Roshan Sethi (A Nice Indian Boy) are set to join the 1497 Features Lab as Mentors.
Returning for its fourth year, the nonprofit 1497’s annual Features Lab will once again offer robust mentorship, script development, and industry access to elevate and advance the careers of screenwriters of South Asian descent. After expanding the Lab to a fully in-person format last year, this year’s program will build on that success with an intensive Retreat and subsequent Pitch Day. The Lab Retreat will take place this October 23-28, 2024 in Malibu.
The 1497 Features Lab, their signature impact program, entails three rounds of rigorous evaluation by independent Selection Committees to ultimately discover three Mentees to invest in. Each Mentee is then paired with a pod of Mentors – comprised of an established filmmaker, producer, industry representative, and a 1497 Features Lab Alum – from whom they...
Returning for its fourth year, the nonprofit 1497’s annual Features Lab will once again offer robust mentorship, script development, and industry access to elevate and advance the careers of screenwriters of South Asian descent. After expanding the Lab to a fully in-person format last year, this year’s program will build on that success with an intensive Retreat and subsequent Pitch Day. The Lab Retreat will take place this October 23-28, 2024 in Malibu.
The 1497 Features Lab, their signature impact program, entails three rounds of rigorous evaluation by independent Selection Committees to ultimately discover three Mentees to invest in. Each Mentee is then paired with a pod of Mentors – comprised of an established filmmaker, producer, industry representative, and a 1497 Features Lab Alum – from whom they...
- 4/29/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Film Festival will once again feature a physical space focused on South Asian filmmaking.
Returning for its second year, the 1497 South Asian Lodge will feature a tribute to The Lunchbox, the beloved Irrfan Khan starrer that screened at Sundance exactly a decade ago. Its writer-director, Ritesh Batra, will be in attendance to discuss the making of the film and its legacy. Other highlight programming of the lodge, which will run Jan. 20 and 21, includes a fireside chat with Mira Nair (whose breakthrough classic Mississippi Masala is getting a restoration screening at the festival this year) and panels on decolonization through film as well as the media’s influence on Islamophobia.
Speakers on the latter panel, presented by M Film Lab, include Pillars Foundation co-founder and president Kashif Shaikh, music executive Hiba Irshad, former Sundance Institute outreach and inclusion director and Muslim Futures creator Karim Ahmad and Doris Duke Foundation exec Zeyba Rahman.
Returning for its second year, the 1497 South Asian Lodge will feature a tribute to The Lunchbox, the beloved Irrfan Khan starrer that screened at Sundance exactly a decade ago. Its writer-director, Ritesh Batra, will be in attendance to discuss the making of the film and its legacy. Other highlight programming of the lodge, which will run Jan. 20 and 21, includes a fireside chat with Mira Nair (whose breakthrough classic Mississippi Masala is getting a restoration screening at the festival this year) and panels on decolonization through film as well as the media’s influence on Islamophobia.
Speakers on the latter panel, presented by M Film Lab, include Pillars Foundation co-founder and president Kashif Shaikh, music executive Hiba Irshad, former Sundance Institute outreach and inclusion director and Muslim Futures creator Karim Ahmad and Doris Duke Foundation exec Zeyba Rahman.
- 1/5/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
1497 has selected three finalist for their Features Lab.
The Lab’s first year was held virtually, and the second year was hybrid, held virtually and in-person. For its third year, 1497 is conducting the Lab as an in-person, immersive, artistic retreat in Malibu, California, during which each Mentee will be paired with a pod of four Mentors from whom they will receive script feedback and career guidance. Mentees will also work with filmmaker and veteran script consultant Adrienne Weiss to further develop their scripts, with a particular emphasis on the emotional journey of their stories.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we started the 1497 Features Lab to empower writers in the South Asian diaspora to tell whatever stories they want to tell, regardless of the societal, industry, or stereotypical expectations that so often confine writers in our community to certain genres and cultural storylines,” Ahmed, Khan,...
The Lab’s first year was held virtually, and the second year was hybrid, held virtually and in-person. For its third year, 1497 is conducting the Lab as an in-person, immersive, artistic retreat in Malibu, California, during which each Mentee will be paired with a pod of four Mentors from whom they will receive script feedback and career guidance. Mentees will also work with filmmaker and veteran script consultant Adrienne Weiss to further develop their scripts, with a particular emphasis on the emotional journey of their stories.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we started the 1497 Features Lab to empower writers in the South Asian diaspora to tell whatever stories they want to tell, regardless of the societal, industry, or stereotypical expectations that so often confine writers in our community to certain genres and cultural storylines,” Ahmed, Khan,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
1497 has revealed the finalists of its third annual Features Lab. See their bios below.
The lab is designed to elevate and develop screenplays by writers of South Asian descent, while providing career support. It aims to empower writers in the South Asian diaspora to write whatever stories they feel compelled to tell, unbounded by genre, cultural content, geographic location, or any other stereotypical expectation.
Established in 2020 by Adeel Ahmed, Lipica Shah, and Kamran Khan, 1497 has been steadfast in its commitment to championing and empowering South Asian talent, countering their historical marginalization and year preceding colonization in what is now recognized as South Asia.
Sponsored by Final Draft, the 2023 Features Lab will guide three Mentees through a comprehensive, multi-tiered journey during a five-day retreat in Malibu. This transformative process will begin with working with Sundance filmmaker and seasoned script consultant Adrienne Weiss, to bolster the refinement of their feature film scripts.
The lab is designed to elevate and develop screenplays by writers of South Asian descent, while providing career support. It aims to empower writers in the South Asian diaspora to write whatever stories they feel compelled to tell, unbounded by genre, cultural content, geographic location, or any other stereotypical expectation.
Established in 2020 by Adeel Ahmed, Lipica Shah, and Kamran Khan, 1497 has been steadfast in its commitment to championing and empowering South Asian talent, countering their historical marginalization and year preceding colonization in what is now recognized as South Asia.
Sponsored by Final Draft, the 2023 Features Lab will guide three Mentees through a comprehensive, multi-tiered journey during a five-day retreat in Malibu. This transformative process will begin with working with Sundance filmmaker and seasoned script consultant Adrienne Weiss, to bolster the refinement of their feature film scripts.
- 8/16/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
1497, the nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting South Asian filmmakers, has enlisted Mira Nair, Geeta Malik (India Sweets and Spices)and Minhal Baig (Hala) as mentors for its third Features Lab. Baig is returning after having also served as a mentor for last year’s lab, held virtually and in-person in New York.
The 2023 edition will move cross-country to Malibu for the first time, taking place Oct. 18 through 23, wherein a newly structured format each of the three Lab participants will be given a dedicated pod of experts — a filmmaker, a producer, a representative and a Lab alum — to help them with script development and career guidance. In addition, they will receive (along with seven other finalists) the latest version of software from Final Draft, which is returning as Lab sponsor.
1497 has assembled a team of industry figures descended from all eight officially recognized South Asian countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives,...
The 2023 edition will move cross-country to Malibu for the first time, taking place Oct. 18 through 23, wherein a newly structured format each of the three Lab participants will be given a dedicated pod of experts — a filmmaker, a producer, a representative and a Lab alum — to help them with script development and career guidance. In addition, they will receive (along with seven other finalists) the latest version of software from Final Draft, which is returning as Lab sponsor.
1497 has assembled a team of industry figures descended from all eight officially recognized South Asian countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives,...
- 4/12/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Sundance in 2023 will feature the festival’s first-ever South Asian Lodge, thanks to the nonprofit organization 1497.
The group is collaborating with filmmakers Shruti Ganguly and Tanya Selvaratnam to develop the lodge, which will be housed at Park City yoga studio The Shop on Jan. 21 and 22. The two days of programming will include a 20th anniversary celebration of Bend It Like Beckham, as the movie’s 2003 premiere at Sundance marked a watershed event for South Asian representation in film. The lodge will also present a panel called Black and Brown Unity and Division, On and Off Screen featuring producer Lisa Cortes, director Geeta Gandhbir, Oscar-winning producer Joseph Patel (Summer of Soul) and Hillman Grad CEO Rishi Rajani, with more events — all by invitation only — to be announced. Those interested in attending can email events@1497.org.
“We have been a part of the Sundance community...
Sundance in 2023 will feature the festival’s first-ever South Asian Lodge, thanks to the nonprofit organization 1497.
The group is collaborating with filmmakers Shruti Ganguly and Tanya Selvaratnam to develop the lodge, which will be housed at Park City yoga studio The Shop on Jan. 21 and 22. The two days of programming will include a 20th anniversary celebration of Bend It Like Beckham, as the movie’s 2003 premiere at Sundance marked a watershed event for South Asian representation in film. The lodge will also present a panel called Black and Brown Unity and Division, On and Off Screen featuring producer Lisa Cortes, director Geeta Gandhbir, Oscar-winning producer Joseph Patel (Summer of Soul) and Hillman Grad CEO Rishi Rajani, with more events — all by invitation only — to be announced. Those interested in attending can email events@1497.org.
“We have been a part of the Sundance community...
- 12/21/2022
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
1497 Writers Lab has tapped leading filmmakers to mentor another class of underrepresented South Asian screenwriters for its second edition.
Little America director Deepa Mehta, Late Night helmer Nisha Ganatra and Minhal Baig of Hala will help hothouse feature film scripts at the Hollywood talent incubator. Founded by Adeel Ahmed, Kamran Khan, and Lipica Shah, the lab aims to support and lift talent of South Asian descent to reduce their underrepresentation in the U.S. film and TV industry.
“The American film and TV industry must include our voices without limiting us to the stories we are allowed to tell. We are ...
Little America director Deepa Mehta, Late Night helmer Nisha Ganatra and Minhal Baig of Hala will help hothouse feature film scripts at the Hollywood talent incubator. Founded by Adeel Ahmed, Kamran Khan, and Lipica Shah, the lab aims to support and lift talent of South Asian descent to reduce their underrepresentation in the U.S. film and TV industry.
“The American film and TV industry must include our voices without limiting us to the stories we are allowed to tell. We are ...
- 10/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
1497 Writers Lab has tapped leading filmmakers to mentor another class of underrepresented South Asian screenwriters for its second edition.
Little America director Deepa Mehta, Late Night helmer Nisha Ganatra and Minhal Baig of Hala will help hothouse feature film scripts at the Hollywood talent incubator. Founded by Adeel Ahmed, Kamran Khan, and Lipica Shah, the lab aims to support and lift talent of South Asian descent to reduce their underrepresentation in the U.S. film and TV industry.
“The American film and TV industry must include our voices without limiting us to the stories we are allowed to tell. We are ...
Little America director Deepa Mehta, Late Night helmer Nisha Ganatra and Minhal Baig of Hala will help hothouse feature film scripts at the Hollywood talent incubator. Founded by Adeel Ahmed, Kamran Khan, and Lipica Shah, the lab aims to support and lift talent of South Asian descent to reduce their underrepresentation in the U.S. film and TV industry.
“The American film and TV industry must include our voices without limiting us to the stories we are allowed to tell. We are ...
- 10/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The South Asian talent incubator, 1497 has selected 11 finalists out of 382 submissions for its inaugural Writers Lab. The next step will be narrowing it down to three mentees who will participate in the Lab’s program.
Under the virtual mentor program, the trio of mentees will work with Sundance filmmaker and veteran script consultant Adrienne Weiss. From there, the selected mentees will get mentorship from acclaimed filmmakers Gurinder Chadha (Blinded By the Light), Aneesh Chaganty (Searching), and Maryam Keshavarz (Viper Club). 1497 will then tag in and introduce the mentees to an industry advisory group chich includes Gersh agent Louise Keshaviah, Brillstein Partners manager Ken Lee and Management 360 manager Priya Satiani. They will offer guidance to the mentees to help build a successful career roadmap.
“We are incredibly excited to see such an overwhelmingly positive response,” said 1497 co-founders Adeel Ahmed, Lipica Shah and Kamran Khan in a joint statement. “The fact...
Under the virtual mentor program, the trio of mentees will work with Sundance filmmaker and veteran script consultant Adrienne Weiss. From there, the selected mentees will get mentorship from acclaimed filmmakers Gurinder Chadha (Blinded By the Light), Aneesh Chaganty (Searching), and Maryam Keshavarz (Viper Club). 1497 will then tag in and introduce the mentees to an industry advisory group chich includes Gersh agent Louise Keshaviah, Brillstein Partners manager Ken Lee and Management 360 manager Priya Satiani. They will offer guidance to the mentees to help build a successful career roadmap.
“We are incredibly excited to see such an overwhelmingly positive response,” said 1497 co-founders Adeel Ahmed, Lipica Shah and Kamran Khan in a joint statement. “The fact...
- 8/11/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
We Got This Covered can exclusively report today that Golden Globe-nominated actor Tom Sizemore (Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down) has joined the cast of The Martyr Maker, an upcoming political thriller from Kamal Ahmed.
Not much is known about the project just yet, but Sizemore will co-star alongside Adeel Ahmed (who’s had guest spots on CBS’ Elementary and NBC’s Deception), who plays Zahid, “an American born Muslim who, after struggling with his Islamic roots, explores different aspects of the religion, leading to a deadly calling.”
Sizemore, meanwhile, will play the head of the CIA, though it’s unclear how the two characters will cross paths at this point. Still, it’s an intriguing premise and we’re eager to see how the film develops.
Set to shoot in the spring, there’s no release date just yet for The Martyr Maker, but with its two leading men now locked in,...
Not much is known about the project just yet, but Sizemore will co-star alongside Adeel Ahmed (who’s had guest spots on CBS’ Elementary and NBC’s Deception), who plays Zahid, “an American born Muslim who, after struggling with his Islamic roots, explores different aspects of the religion, leading to a deadly calling.”
Sizemore, meanwhile, will play the head of the CIA, though it’s unclear how the two characters will cross paths at this point. Still, it’s an intriguing premise and we’re eager to see how the film develops.
Set to shoot in the spring, there’s no release date just yet for The Martyr Maker, but with its two leading men now locked in,...
- 1/29/2016
- by Josh Wilding
- We Got This Covered
It would be a futile exercise to try to pigeonhole this filmmaker into one category and just looking at the work samples that have crossed into Sundance territory he has
2007’s short Bomb, brought an unproduced screenplay The Western Habit at the 2011 January Screenwriters Lab and was the editor on the 2013’s kink. However, Ian Olds is better known for his docu features contributions in Occupation: Dreamland (winner of a 2006 Independent Spirit Award) and Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi. He has two different films on the burner with the Sffs backed (2011 Sffs / Hearst Screenwriting Grant Recipient and Fall 2013, Spring 2014 & Spring 2015 Sffs / Krf Filmmaking Grant Recipient) The Fixer (the feature film version) that might break in early 2016. Starring James Franco, Rachel Brosnahan, Melissa Leo and Dominic Rains, they were still making casting announcements in early August, but we’re feeling that this might have crossed the finish line in time.
2007’s short Bomb, brought an unproduced screenplay The Western Habit at the 2011 January Screenwriters Lab and was the editor on the 2013’s kink. However, Ian Olds is better known for his docu features contributions in Occupation: Dreamland (winner of a 2006 Independent Spirit Award) and Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi. He has two different films on the burner with the Sffs backed (2011 Sffs / Hearst Screenwriting Grant Recipient and Fall 2013, Spring 2014 & Spring 2015 Sffs / Krf Filmmaking Grant Recipient) The Fixer (the feature film version) that might break in early 2016. Starring James Franco, Rachel Brosnahan, Melissa Leo and Dominic Rains, they were still making casting announcements in early August, but we’re feeling that this might have crossed the finish line in time.
- 11/24/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
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