Qahwa Cafe presents Filmmaking 101 led by Award Winning Filmmaker Amina Chaudary.

Starting January 26, this 5-week class for ages 17-24 will teach the fundamentals of filmmaking from conception to completion including making a script, developing the story, tips on cinematography, and editing to facilitate all participants in creating their own 3 minutes short film!

Alongside Amina Chaudary, this class will feature special guests including DeanTV Founder Abdul-Malik Ahmad, Director Muhammad Okedeyi, Executive Producer Omar Altalib, and Director and Writer Amani Hagmagid!

Participants are expected to complete the class with a short, 3 minute film which will be publicly screened at film festival in the spring (date to be determined).

Tickets are $75 each with one ticket covering all 5 classes and mentorship until the film's completion in the spring.  No prior filmmaking experience is necessary, all are encouraged to participate!

About Amina Chaudary

Amina is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, magazine editor, writer, and interviewer.

Her work is inspired by the idea that visual stories have the power to break down barriers and stereotypes, leading to new paths of connection and positive interaction.

She has spent over a decade interviewing notable thought leaders, finding underrepresented communities and people, and helping tell their stories. Her passion for storytelling comes to life most in her films 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 the Boston Globe's Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS World Channel in the fall of 2019. Her feature film #LiveLikeHaris was featured at 19 film festivals and won awards, including Best Documentary, Best Inspirational Film, and Best Directing. Her latest short film, Third Base to Faith, was streamed for Ramadan 2024 exclusively at PBS World Channel and is currently available on Amazon Prime.

She holds an MA from Columbia University in Human Rights, an MA in Near Eastern Civilizations from Harvard University, and a PhD from Boston University on American religious history. She is a fellow at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, where she is documenting stories of American Muslims.