Know the person
Each person has different experiences. I listen to a person before I make decisions about their story.
Filmmaker · artist · community engagement professional
Films aboutus.Art is about communities.
I am Aakef Khan. I make films about faith, culture, and identity. I also help communities get to know each other through art.
NEW JERSEY / NEW YORKAVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS
Film and community artMy work
Select a topic
My work starts with each person.
01 / 03Film and community art
Listen to each person.
I make films and community art projects. I first listen to each person. Their experiences help me make decisions about the project.
Heritage.
Muslim identity spans many cultures and histories within the Islamic tradition. People understand and practice that tradition in different ways, even within the same community. Family and personal experience also shape how people relate to their heritage. Each person’s story offers one perspective within this wider diversity.
Film projects and credits
My films
I make fiction films and documentaries about individual experiences. Persons in the same community can have different experiences.
01Documentary series · PBS Digital StudiosAmerican Muslims: A History RevealedI did production and research work for this documentary series about the history of Muslims in America.2023—2402Short fiction filmIt’s a Small Tainted WorldShifa tries to get to know her grandfather. The story is about her mental struggle with this relationship.2024—2503Short film · Islamic tradition and horrorRuqyaThis short film is about ruqya, an Islamic practice for spiritual healing and exorcism.202404Short film · Production departmentPreciousI did production work on the set of this independent short film.202405Educational video series · ISNAAn Islamic Lens on Mental Health (ILM)I collaborated with Dr. Salman Shaheen Ahmad on mental health education for ISNA.
Featured collaborationISNA · Mental health education
An Islamic Lens
on Mental Health.
I collaborated with Dr. Salman Shaheen Ahmad on ILM for the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
ILM brings Islamic history and teachings into mental health education. The workshop examines barriers to seeking care and explains ways to find support.
Explore ILM at ISNAProject background
ILM began as Dr. Ahmad’s doctoral research at the University of Miami. Read about the original project.
Can art change the dynamic of how we approach each other?
Community art project
By the light of the same moon.
Open Archways included 15 Muslim and Jewish artists. The artists got to know each other before the exhibition opened.
Hannah Finkelshteyn and I were the curators of the exhibition at the Bowery Art Collective. The exhibition used the moon as its theme. The moon has a role in the calendars of the two communities.
Read the Forward article15Muslim and Jewish artists
02Communities
01Moon
Project steps
Start with a relationship.
The project helps persons get to know each other. A relationship can help them speak about differences. They do not have to agree immediately.
01
Know each other first
The artists first get to know each other. They speak about their art and their experiences.
My methods
How I make films and community art
My films and community art projects use the same methods. I listen carefully. I prepare each task. I examine subjects that are not simple.
Start with art
Art gives persons something to examine together. It can help them start a conversation.
Prepare each task
I make decisions about who to include, how to start the conversation, and what the group will make.
Continue the conversation
Conversations are not always easy. I try to continue the conversation to help each person examine their differences.
Rutgers · Mason Gross · Bachelor of Fine Arts in FilmmakingPBS Digital Studios project credit2026 Courage Project honoree
Contact
Tell me about your project.
Contact me about film production, film development, art exhibitions, interfaith programs, or public talks. You can also contact me about other projects.
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IMDb profile