Filmmaker Mahnoor Euceph's Coming of Age SHORT Film 11:11 Gets Cate Blanchett's Stamp of Approval

My guest today is Mahnoor Euceph, an award-winning writer and director. Her internationally acclaimed short Eid Mubarak, which screened at over 40 festivals and won 16 awards, was long-listed in consideration for the 96th Academy Awards. 

She is a recipient of the Pillars Artist Fellowship, a program founded by Riz Ahmed and the Pillars Fund to champion bold new Muslim filmmakers.

Her newest short film, 11:11 was selected for Cate Blanchett, Coco Francini, and Dr. Stacy L. Smith’s Proof of Concept Accelerator — chosen by a committee that included Greta Gerwig and Lilly Wachowski — in partnership with Netflix, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, and Dirty Films. 11:11 premiered at the Oscar-qualifying, HollyShorts Film Festival.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mahnoor Euceph’s 11:11 stars Tara Raani from Grown-ish and Mahaela Parkfrom Dìdi, a comedic and profound exploration of the painful yet liberating realization that true belonging can't be found by becoming someone else. 

When 16-year-old Pakistani-American Noori’s wish at 11:11 to be her crush’s type goes awry, magically transforming herself into a white, blonde, blue-eyed girl, she must undo the wish before losing herself entirely.

Mahnoor’s film 11:11 drives the message home that we are still living in a world with blinders on. America was once called the melting pot, but we are again still living in a time where many don’t want it melting into one color. 

I’ve always said we must embrace our differences and learn from one another. I loved that the main character Noori was proud of her Pakistani heritage and wanted to share it with others. 

I know teenagers can be closed minded at times and the households in which they are raised are the environments in which that mindset is born. 

When 11:11 comes to a film festival near you, please be in the theater watch this delightful coming of age story. You’ll learn more those around us a little bit more. 

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