NEED SOUTH ASIAN ACTORS including children (age 4-6) and adults of all ages for short film in Edmonton
TELUS Storyhive Short Film "Bismillah"
casting call | I self-identity as IBPOC and am seeking IBPOC collaboratorsType: film + tv
Email: asif.quraishi@gmail.com
Phone: 780-953-2743
Pay: $115/day for leads; $75/day for supporting
Location: Edmonton
Start date: 2025-06-23
End date: 2025-07-07
Application deadline: 2025-05-18
Details of the opportunity:
https://www.instagram.com/bismillah.shortfilm/
Casting a variety of roles for South Asian actors for a short film in Edmonton!
- Azhar (Male, 30s, South Asian) A cynical and emotionally guarded man-child haunted by a childhood failure, using sarcasm to mask his deep-seated insecurities about family and belonging.
- Ayesha (Female, 50s, South Asian) Loving, determined to keep her family together, potentially overbearing mother. Urdu speaking. Knowledge of Hyderabadi Urdu is an asset.
- Adnan (Male, Late 20s, South Asian) Azhar’s pragmatic and sharp-witted younger brother.
- Fatima (Female, 30s, South Asian) Confident, self-assured, and warm.
- Alina (Female, 4-6+, South Asian) A bright and affectionate child.
- Uncle (Male, 50s, South Asian) & Auntie (Female, 50s, South Asian) Affectionate, chatty relatives whose good intentions are undercut by tone-deaf, judgmental remarks. Urdu speaking. Knowledge of Hyderabadi Urdu is an asset.
- Haseeb (Male, 30s, South Asian) A well-meaning but firm father figure. Urdu speaking. Knowledge of Hyderabadi Urdu is an asset.
- Young Ayesha (Female, Mid-Late 20s, South Asian) Protective. Urdu speaking. Knowledge of Hyderabadi Urdu is an asset.
- Young Azhar (Male, 4-6+, South Asian) A shy boy who gets overwhelmed by the moment.
- Young Fatima (Female, 4-6+, South Asian) Confident child who is able to memorize and recite a short Quran verse with relative ease.
Project Info: Bismillah is a short film about a Hyderabadi Muslim family in Edmonton. It centers around the Bismillah ceremony, a cultural tradition practiced by Muslims in certain parts of the Indian subcontinent. Several characters in the film speak in the unique dialect of Dakhni or Hyderabadi Urdu.
Synopsis: 4-year old Azhar chokes in front of his family at his Bismillah ceremony, a moment that marks him with shame. This is compounded by his cousin, Fatima, performing the ceremony flawlessly. Now in his thirties, estranged from much of his extended family, Azhar is drawn back into that world when his mother Ayesha pressures him to attend his niece Alina’s upcoming Bismillah. Azhar agrees to attend on one condition - if he can redo his own failed ceremony - as an adult - alongside his niece. To the chagrin of his brother Adnan, Ayesha agrees, hoping to bring Azhar back into the family he’s shunned for so long. Azhar soon learns that healing his emotional wounds isn’t as simple as just re-doing a ceremony.
Writer/Director: Asif Quraishi
Producer: Jenna Mae Wozney
Director of Photography: Ty Ferguson
Shoot Dates: Late June - Early July 2025 (exact dates TBD)
Bismillah is supported by TELUS Storyhive, the Alberta Film Commission, and the National Screen Institute.
Details on how to apply:
Submit headshots to shortfilmbismillah@gmail.com
Contact asif.quraishi@gmail.com for more info.