Entertainment / We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed

We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed

Entertainment Jan 25, 2021

by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Director, writer and producer Iram Parveen Bilal is on one unique journey. Her latest film “I’ll Meet You There” focuses on three generations of a Muslim-American family living in today’s current climate. Bilal shares her thoughts on the film’s story, her filmmaking journey and it’s broad appeal.

2020 might have been a tough year, but it gave life to some amazing things, including Iram Parveen Bilal’s third and one-of-a-kind feature film, I’ll Meet You There, which features “three generations of a Muslim-American family,” according to Variety.

They are having the premiere on February 3rd with tickets available on Level Forward’s site. The film will then be available on Video On Demand platforms as of February 12^th, 2021. To learn more, be sure to check out Freestyle Digital Media.

Recently, Bilal sat down with us (virtually, of course), to give us the scoop on the feature film that she hopes will generate change and healing!

Who Is Iram Parveen Bilal?

Before we start unpacking this incredible film though, let’s get to know the phenomenal woman, visionary, and director behind the camera: Iram Parveen Bilal.

According to her site, she is “…a global content creator and enabler who focuses on thought-provoking stories that are socially impactful and envision an inclusive world.”

Bilal was raised in Nigeria and Pakistan [and] is a “Physics Olympian turned filmmaker.” She made the move to filmmaking after completing her MFA in the Peter Stark Producing Program with an emphasis on Directing at the University of Southern California in 2007. Bilal’s collection of work, where she has worn a number of hats (i.e. director, writer, editor, or producer), includes Marwa (2009), Poshak/Façade (2012), Kwaku Ananse (2012), Dho Dala: The Sin Washer (2014), and Extinction (2017). To date, she has directed a number of feature films, including The PHD Movie 2 (2015), she also added writer credits to Josh (Against the Grain) (2013), I’ll Meet You There (2019), and Wakhri (One Of A Kind) (2019).

Helping others is important to Bilal, not only mentoring women in film, but also in the tech space. She’s a member of the Film Fatales and the Alliance of Women directors, advocating for gender parity behind the camera. She also initiated the Pakistani Oscar committee and is the founder of Pakistan’s first professional screenwriting lab QALAMBAAZ.

Needless to say, Bilal has built up a remarkable portfolio thus far, and I’ll Meet You There, which has been incredibly close to her heart, has been the icing on the cake – so let’s get into it!

We Tell You Why "I'll Meet You There" From Iram Parveen Bilal Can't Be Missed — **We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed: Bilal is crushing it behind the scenes and uplifting others along the way!** Photo Credit: www.allianceofwomendirectors.org

Let’s Talk About I’ll Meet You There:

According to Variety, “I’ll Meet You There, follows Majeed, a Chicago policeman, and his teenage daughter Dua, a gifted ballerina, who are unexpectedly visited by Baba, Majeed’s long-estranged father from Pakistan. Majeed is given a career-making opportunity that he can’t turn down, but it requires him to use his father’s help to gain access to the local mosque, while Dua, under Baba’s guidance, begins to question her passion for dance.”

The film features a talented star-studded cast, including Faran Tahir (Majeed), Nikita Tewani (Dua), Muhammad Qavi Khan (Baba), in addition to Sheetal Sheth, Shawn Parsons, Samrat Chakrabarti, Michael Pemberton, Andrea Cirie, Nitin Madan, and Rachit Trehan.

“The story is of a family [that is] desperately trying to re-connect with one another and so it is immediately relevant to all, “Bilal notes. “The feedback we have gotten is that people want to call their grandparents and parents after watching this film, and whether they are from a Christian, Hindu, Jewish or Muslim family, they have related. We feel we have hit a nerve. Lastly, there are very few films if not none, currently out in the market, that capture the South Asian American and Muslim American experience in the context of inter and intra community evolution the way I’ll Meet You There does.”

That said, this project has been in progress for some time, with filming wrapping up in October 2018 and post-finishing in late 2019. Last year, the film was set to debut at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival (it was “one of ten chosen from 1,305 submissions for SXSW’s narrative feature competition,” notes Variety #nobigdeal), however, it was understandably cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed: Anyone else have a sneaking suspicion that *I’ll* **Meet You There** **is going to become an iconic film?!** Photo Credit; Alia Azamat

This has been a passion project for Bilal, according to the film’s press notes “…is drawn from my personal experiences of being in a family reclaiming Islam in a post 9/11 world. It shines a light on the very present and yet hidden pressures that socio-politics have imposed within the Muslim community. I wrote it in an effort to better understand my sister who taught me how to dance when I was five but now believes that dancing is sinful. Rooted in learnings from my own personal travels during a Thomas J. Watson fellowship journey taken after college, I’ll Meet You There highlights the taboo that dance often occupies in Muslim communities.”

P.S. Bilal reassured us that both her sister and her family are totally cool with the film, in fact, she shared that her “family is really proud of the film and the achievement. My sister, whilst might not agree with all my views, said it was a “mature film.” So, I think I succeeded in some way.”

We Tell You Why The Film "I'll Meet You There" From Iram Parveen Bilal Can't Be Missed — **We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed: Bilal on set with Faran Tahir**. Photo Credit: Iram Parveen Bilal

With regard to the cancellation and subsequent delay of the film, Bilal explained what the journey leading up to the debut has been like. “2020 and this pandemic have made us all realize more than ever that we have to roll with the punches,” Bilal explains. “It took me a while to lick my wounds, but I’m happy to roar back on the scene with a partner better than I’d ever imagined. Level Forward is so thoughtful in their approach to cinema and their partnership is one I cherish not only for this film but for many more to come Insha’Allah. With regards to the release, I’m excited and anxious. We have worked so hard on this film and whether you love it or you don’t, you won’t disagree with the amount of heart and soul behind it. I promise you.”

Bilal also shared what she hopes viewers will take away from the film: “Firstly, that a Muslim-American family is very much identical to their family and hence, create more empathy and sameness to reduce the negative stigma of the “otherness” that socio-politics has created. Secondly, I’d love to provoke healing and empower anyone who feels they are a misfit in their family – where family can be defined by race, religion, culture, nation-state, economic status, personal choices or whatever identifier one associates with. Lastly, I want them to learn to express their honest self and be able to reintegrate into a sense of family and society that nourishes them in their true self-expression.”

I’ll Meet You There, will make its much-anticipated debut on February 3, 2021, after “mini-studio, Level Forward acquired [the] North American virtual theatrical rights and impact distribution privileges,” reports Variety.

If you’re interested (and honestly, why wouldn’t you be?!) in attending the premiere, be sure to check out Level Forward’s site to get tickets and “the thoughtful programming that [includes] SCOTUS lawyers, influencers and more in the talk forward sessions accompanying the screenings.”

Following the film’s premiere, it will be available on most Video On Demand platforms as of February 12^th, 2021. To learn more, be sure to check out Freestyle Digital Media!

**We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed: This film’s accreditations speak for themselves – don’t miss out!** Photo Credit: Alia Azamat

What’s Next For Iram Parveen Bilal?

Bilal gave us the scoop on the few exciting projects she has the horizon: “on the feature film side it is WAKHRI that is set in Lahore and already has the support of Cannes behind it. I also have two TV projects that are created, optioned and waiting on [the] next steps. Hoping to join TV in terms of directing and writing in 2021 and beyond.”

It’s thrilling to witness the fresh breath of life Bilal is bringing to the entertainment industry, where South Asians and other members of the BIPOC community can find a sense of belonging and understanding.

Though it may not need to be said (in my humble opinion), Bilal is definitely a rising star that the entertainment industry should not sleep on!

I’ll Meet You There premieres on February 3rd with tickets available on Level Forward’s site. The film will then be available on Video On Demand platforms as of February 12^th, 2021. To learn more, be sure to check out Freestyle Digital Media.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.directedbywomen.com

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Author

Devika (@goberdhan.devika) is an MA graduate who specialized in Political Science at York University. Her passion and research throughout her graduate studies pushed her to learn about and unpack hot button issues. Thus, since starting at ANOKHI in 2016, she has written extensively about many challe...

COMMENTS

The Wanted's Siva Kaneswaran Asks If You're "Ready For This Love" In His Latest Hit Single

Will Sushant Singh Rajput's Death Bring Down The Nepotistic Culture Of The Bollywood Mafia?

Check Out These January 2021 Movies & Shows From Bollywood And Beyond!

Get Streaming! Binge On These February 2021 Movies & Shows From Bollywood And Beyond!

If You Haven't Seen It Yet, Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Need To Watch "The White Tiger" Now

Binge On These 9 Desi Romantic Shows On Valentine's Day

From Roveena To Roach Killa & More: You Need To Add These Fresh EPs To Your Playlist STAT

Award Season Fave: Golden Globe & SAG Award Nominee Riz Ahmed Talks To Us About His Turn In 'Sound Of Metal'

Get Streaming! Binge On These March 2021 Movies & Shows From Bollywood And Beyond!

We Tell You Why The Film “I’ll Meet You There” From Iram Parveen Bilal Can’t Be Missed

by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

COMMENTS

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE