Hijabi Filmmaker Breaking Stereotypes in Hollywood

Filmmaker Lena Khan who directed the new Disney and family comedy film ‘Flora & Ulysses’ is breaking stereotypes by becoming the first hijabi director in Hollywood. 

Considering the Hollywood production houses, the number of female directors pursuing the career are among the rare breeds found.

Lena said there are very few of them, who are Muslims, and they are not yet renowned or usually less overt about their faith.

 

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However, she is the only hijab-wearing female director working in Hollywood.

The first feature of 34-year-old was a comedy-drama The Tiger Hunter in 2016 released in over 60 cities nationwide.

The feature revolved around a Muslim Indian immigrant trying to fit in 1970s America, which was inspired by her father’s stories and other immigrants.

 The project was a kick-starter campaign that was sponsored by the South Asian and Muslim communities.

“I think a lot of people felt like a hijab filmmaker either wouldn’t know what she was doing or isn’t cool enough to work in this industry,” Khan said.

Unlike many other Asian-American filmmakers, it was not an uphill battle to convince her immigrant parents of her career choice.

She has also directed episodes of the acclaimed Netflix teenage comedy of an Indian-American girl titled ‘Never Have I Ever’.

Khan was born in Canada, raised in California, and attended the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles film school claimed that the journey wasn’t that easy as it sounds.

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Even though Canada is considered a free society, the practice of covering face or head (Hijab) has been disliked and many states have banned the practice particularly those inhabited by people of French origin.

Thereby, Lena’s parents were worried about how the plans would work out.