Bay Area Filmmaker Brings Movie About African American Muslims to SXSW
By Pam Grady
San Francisco Chronicle
March 7, 2018 1:56pm
East Bay filmmaker Nijla Mu’min (left) directs Zoe Renee in a scene for “Jinn,” which premieres Sunday, March 11, at South by Southwest. Photo: Photo By Craig Carpenter, Courtesy Of Nilja Mu'min. Photo: Photo By Craig Carpenter, Courtesy Of Nilja Mu'min. East Bay filmmaker Nijla Mu’min (left) directs Zoe Renee in a scene for “Jinn,” which premieres Sunday, March 11, at South by Southwest.
Oakland filmmaker at SXSW: East Bay born-and-bred filmmaker Nijla Mu’min, a product of Hayward High School and UC Berkeley, premieres her first feature, “Jinn,” on Sunday, March 11, at Austin’s South by Southwest Festival. The drama focuses on 17-year-old Summer (Zoe Renee), whose TV meteorologist mother, Jade (Simone Missick), joins a mosque. In a case of art imitating life, Jade even starts wearing a hijab on the air, much like an Iowa TV reporter recently started to do — eventually introducing her daughter to Islam.
“I’ve always wanted to incorporate the African American Muslim influence into my work, but also just have it be a kind of traditional coming-of-age story, have it be unique in that way,” Mu’min, 32, says.
“For me, the African American Muslim experience is one I never see,” she adds. “Growing up, I was surrounded by Muslims who were so different from each other. They were fun-loving and loved dancing. My dad is really into jazz and Creole food. All these things that you just never see in the media.”
SXSW is the first step in the theatrical life of “Jinn.” It is also the fourth feature from an Oakland filmmaker to make its bow in 2018, with Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” and Daveed Diggs’ (as writer, as well as star) “Blindspotting” premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, and Ryan Coogler breaking box office records with “Black Panther.”
View a video of Mu’min at http://bit.ly/NijlaMumin
“4 Wheel” duo ride into town: East Bay filmmaker Tal Skloot and Bob Coomber, the subject of his documentary “4 Wheel Bob,” roll into Bay Area theaters for screenings and Q&As on Sunday, March 18, at the Smith-Rafael Film Center in San Rafael and, as part of the Albany FilmFest, on March 21 at the Albany Twin.
The documentary about Coomber’s attempt to become the first wheelchair hiker to cross the Sierra Nevada arose from the men becoming hiking buddies after Skloot read about Coomber and sought him out.
“I was just amazed by his lack of fear and willingness to try anything. It wasn’t showmanship,” Skloot says.
Honoring Wine Country’s responders: Coming only five months after the October fires, the 21st edition of the Sonoma International Film Festival, which opens March 22, is dedicated to the first responders whose efforts ensured the city’s survival. Fitting for a Wine Country event, the festival, while screening plenty of general interest films like “Borg McEnroe” (one of the opening night’s features), emphasizes culinary-focused films. Among them are another opening night feature, “Back to Burgundy,” a drama about a family’s fight to save its vineyard; San Francisco filmmaker Peter Stein’s “Jacques Pepin: The Art of the Craft;” and “Grand Cru,” a documentary about a winemaker coping with a disastrous season. http://bit.ly/1fSgZhM
Police respond to a call in "Flint Town," the new Netflix series by San Francisco filmmakers Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari, along with their co-director Jessica Dimmock. Photo courtesy of Zackary Canepari. SF filmmakers on ‘Flint Town’ This image released by GKIDS Films shows a scene from "The Breadwinner," which was nominated for an Oscar, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, for best animated feature. (GKIDS Films via AP) Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival reaches 10th Possible "Kim Swims" documents the incredible 2015 Farallon Islands-to-San Francisco trek of Kim Chambers, the first woman to accomplish the feat. The film will be featured at the 15th International Ocean Film Festival in March; a gala fundraiser will be held in San Francisco Feb. 10. Photo courtesy Kate Webber. Ocean Film Festival announces its lineup
This and that
• The Albany film festival, which opens Saturday, March 17, closes on March 25 with a spotlight on Bay Area women. Dana Nachman, Pam Uzzell, Erica Milsom, Jalena Keane-Lee and Florenica Manóvil will screen and discuss their work. http://bit.ly/2t17JFZ
•“King of Kings,” Cecil B. DeMille’s 1927 classic, will feature live accompaniment by organist David Brooks. Presented by the Silent Film Festival. 7 p.m. March 24, Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., SF. $20-$22. http://bit.ly/2FF5LxC
•Registration is open for CFI’s Summerfilm, a cinema arts workshops for youth 13-18. “Behind the Scenes,” which runs July 16-20, provides an introduction to the film industry. “Young Curators,” July 3-Aug. 2, introduces young people to curating while they act as a jury for youth-produced shorts at the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival. http://bit.ly/2oEszp7
•Individual tickets go on sale this week for the San Francisco International Film Festival that runs April 4-17. On sale to SFFilm members Wednesday, March 14. On sale to general public Friday, March 16. www.sffilm.org
Pam Grady is a San Francisco freelance writer.
San Francisco Chronicle
March 7, 2018 1:56pm
East Bay filmmaker Nijla Mu’min (left) directs Zoe Renee in a scene for “Jinn,” which premieres Sunday, March 11, at South by Southwest. Photo: Photo By Craig Carpenter, Courtesy Of Nilja Mu'min. Photo: Photo By Craig Carpenter, Courtesy Of Nilja Mu'min. East Bay filmmaker Nijla Mu’min (left) directs Zoe Renee in a scene for “Jinn,” which premieres Sunday, March 11, at South by Southwest.
Oakland filmmaker at SXSW: East Bay born-and-bred filmmaker Nijla Mu’min, a product of Hayward High School and UC Berkeley, premieres her first feature, “Jinn,” on Sunday, March 11, at Austin’s South by Southwest Festival. The drama focuses on 17-year-old Summer (Zoe Renee), whose TV meteorologist mother, Jade (Simone Missick), joins a mosque. In a case of art imitating life, Jade even starts wearing a hijab on the air, much like an Iowa TV reporter recently started to do — eventually introducing her daughter to Islam.
“I’ve always wanted to incorporate the African American Muslim influence into my work, but also just have it be a kind of traditional coming-of-age story, have it be unique in that way,” Mu’min, 32, says.
“For me, the African American Muslim experience is one I never see,” she adds. “Growing up, I was surrounded by Muslims who were so different from each other. They were fun-loving and loved dancing. My dad is really into jazz and Creole food. All these things that you just never see in the media.”
SXSW is the first step in the theatrical life of “Jinn.” It is also the fourth feature from an Oakland filmmaker to make its bow in 2018, with Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” and Daveed Diggs’ (as writer, as well as star) “Blindspotting” premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, and Ryan Coogler breaking box office records with “Black Panther.”
View a video of Mu’min at http://bit.ly/NijlaMumin
“4 Wheel” duo ride into town: East Bay filmmaker Tal Skloot and Bob Coomber, the subject of his documentary “4 Wheel Bob,” roll into Bay Area theaters for screenings and Q&As on Sunday, March 18, at the Smith-Rafael Film Center in San Rafael and, as part of the Albany FilmFest, on March 21 at the Albany Twin.
The documentary about Coomber’s attempt to become the first wheelchair hiker to cross the Sierra Nevada arose from the men becoming hiking buddies after Skloot read about Coomber and sought him out.
“I was just amazed by his lack of fear and willingness to try anything. It wasn’t showmanship,” Skloot says.
Honoring Wine Country’s responders: Coming only five months after the October fires, the 21st edition of the Sonoma International Film Festival, which opens March 22, is dedicated to the first responders whose efforts ensured the city’s survival. Fitting for a Wine Country event, the festival, while screening plenty of general interest films like “Borg McEnroe” (one of the opening night’s features), emphasizes culinary-focused films. Among them are another opening night feature, “Back to Burgundy,” a drama about a family’s fight to save its vineyard; San Francisco filmmaker Peter Stein’s “Jacques Pepin: The Art of the Craft;” and “Grand Cru,” a documentary about a winemaker coping with a disastrous season. http://bit.ly/1fSgZhM
Police respond to a call in "Flint Town," the new Netflix series by San Francisco filmmakers Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari, along with their co-director Jessica Dimmock. Photo courtesy of Zackary Canepari. SF filmmakers on ‘Flint Town’ This image released by GKIDS Films shows a scene from "The Breadwinner," which was nominated for an Oscar, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, for best animated feature. (GKIDS Films via AP) Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival reaches 10th Possible "Kim Swims" documents the incredible 2015 Farallon Islands-to-San Francisco trek of Kim Chambers, the first woman to accomplish the feat. The film will be featured at the 15th International Ocean Film Festival in March; a gala fundraiser will be held in San Francisco Feb. 10. Photo courtesy Kate Webber. Ocean Film Festival announces its lineup
This and that
• The Albany film festival, which opens Saturday, March 17, closes on March 25 with a spotlight on Bay Area women. Dana Nachman, Pam Uzzell, Erica Milsom, Jalena Keane-Lee and Florenica Manóvil will screen and discuss their work. http://bit.ly/2t17JFZ
•“King of Kings,” Cecil B. DeMille’s 1927 classic, will feature live accompaniment by organist David Brooks. Presented by the Silent Film Festival. 7 p.m. March 24, Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., SF. $20-$22. http://bit.ly/2FF5LxC
•Registration is open for CFI’s Summerfilm, a cinema arts workshops for youth 13-18. “Behind the Scenes,” which runs July 16-20, provides an introduction to the film industry. “Young Curators,” July 3-Aug. 2, introduces young people to curating while they act as a jury for youth-produced shorts at the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival. http://bit.ly/2oEszp7
•Individual tickets go on sale this week for the San Francisco International Film Festival that runs April 4-17. On sale to SFFilm members Wednesday, March 14. On sale to general public Friday, March 16. www.sffilm.org
Pam Grady is a San Francisco freelance writer.
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