Reel 2024
Mini Series
Directed by Jackie Skinner | Written by SMJ
Unchained was written and produced by Sohailla Mahjour. She was inspired to write a story based on the true events about her cousin’s relationship with the first father figure, Mike. In Unchained, Elizabeth not only faces Mike for the first time in twelve years, is also forced to reconcile the trauma that has she has been carrying since childhood.
Unchained has entered the festival circuit and has screened its premier in Marietta, Georgia this March 2024.
Next Festival: Art is Alive | August 14th, 2:05PM
Stills
The female led protests in Iran inspired the photography series Mahsa Amini: Women, Life, Freedom. Photographed by Carly Starnes, this piece speaks to the strength and fire of the Iranian people.
Coming out of the darkness of her hijab and displaying the beauty of long curly hair defies the disrespectful twist the regime has put on a peaceful religion.
The hijab, a symbol of privacy, has been used to control, rather than to serve the modest individual and their God.
A woman in the shadows, draped in a prayer chador. The stark contrast between light and dark creates a striking visual effect, drawing the viewer's attention to the woman's exposed and vulnerable half, while the other half is respectfully covered for namaz. Through this powerful portrayal, the artist challenges societal norms and gender expectations, celebrating the resilience and strength of women who defy the limits imposed on their lives and freedoms.