CREATIVE TEAM

Fawzia
​Mirza

DIRECTOR

Fawzia Mirza (she/they) is a queer, Muslim, South Asian film and television writer and director. Fawzia’s first feature SIGNATURE MOVE which she co-wrote, produced and stars in opposite Shabana Azmi, world premiered at SXSW, screened 150+ film festivals globally, won 14 awards (Outfest Grand Jury Prize, Best US Narrative), is distributed by Music Box Films (North America) and Bohemia (UK). She wrote on the CBS drama series THE RED LINE, executive produced by Greg Berlanti and Ava Duvernay. She directed the holiday film THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT (written by Kausar Mohammed) which world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was named to ‘Canada’s Top Ten.’ Her short AUNTIE executive produced by Paul Feig and Powderkeg world premiered at Aspen Shortsfest (Special Mention Best Short Short) is now streaming on The New Yorker. Her feature script HEIRLOOM was named to the 2022 Muslim List, an initiative by The Black List, MPAC and Pillars Fund. Fawzia is an alum of the Canadian Academy of Women Directors program and co-founded Baby Daal Productions with wife Andria Wilson Mirza. Their feature slate includes Sandra Itäinen's queer Muslim documentary COMING AROUND and Drew Denny’s SURVIVOR MADE, which centers survivors of intimate partner violence with an all-survivor crew and creative team. Fawzia directorial feature debut THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS world premieres at TIFF 20223. Shot in Canada and Pakistan and part of TIFF’s 2020 Writer Studio and Filmmaker Lab, the film stars Amrit Kaur (SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS), Nimra Bucha (MS. MARVEL & POLITE SOCIETY), Hamza Haq (TRANSPLANT), and Ayana Manji (MUSTACHE).

Kausar Mohammed

WRITER AND PRODUCER

Kausar Mohammed (she/they) is a queer, Muslim, Pakistani actress and writer who stars in ‘APPENDAGE’ opposite Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Hadley Robinson (Little Women), world premiering at SXSW 2023. Mohammed wrote and stars in the holiday romantic comedy THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT, directed by Fawzia Mirza, which world-premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.  Mohammed recently starred as Dr. Meena Dhawan AKA Fast Track on The CW series THE FLASH, and earlier as Soraya Abbas on The CW series 4400. She starred in Paul Feig's series “EAST OF LA BREA” and voices Yaz, one of the fan favorite lead characters, on Dreamworks and Amblin’s hit show JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS.
Mohammed’s standout performance as Rakhi in COFFEE SHOP NAMES is currently streaming on HBO MAX. Mohammed is a writer/performer in the distinguished all-South Asian sketch comedy troupe The Get Brown, who is currently developing various film and series projects, and performed two seasons of continuously sold-out shows at Upright Citizen's Brigade LA. Other credits include WHAT MEN WANT (Paramount), LITTLE (Universal), SILICON VALLEY (HBO), BLACK LIGHTNING (The CW), and CAROL’S SECOND ACT (CBS). Mohammed was also a featured talent in the ViacomCBS Diversity Showcase 2021. Kausar also is the co-founder of SHIFT, a racial and gender equity consulting group created by women of color.

Amalia
​Mesa-Gustin

PRODUCER

Amalia Mesa-Gustin (she/they) is a film producer and managing director of SpeakOut - The Institute for Democratic Education and Culture. Born in La Habana, Cuba, and raised in Oakland, CA, Amalia comes from a long line of artists, activists, and storytellers. She spent a decade working on film and television productions in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and San Francisco, helping to develop and produce projects for HBO, Universal, Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox, BET, and National Geographic, among others. Now, Amalia uses her experiences across the film industry and social impact sector to bring media projects to life that exist at the intersection of social justice, education and culture, and to amplify often overlooked resources, talent, and stories. She is a graduate of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television.