Interview with Aisha Sultan (Uncommitted)

Introducing our featured filmmaker:

Aisha Sultan

Aisha Sultan

Aisha Sultan is an independent filmmaker, nationally syndicated columnist and features writer in St. Louis, Missouri. Her work has appeared in more than a hundred publications. Her debut documentary short, “33 and Counting,” won the Gold Prize at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, Best Documentary at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase and the national award for video excellence from the Asian American Journalists Association. Her work explores social change with an emphasis on education, families and inequality.

When did you begin working on ‘Uncommitted’, and why did you decide to make this short film?

I began working on Uncommitted in late March. I made the film to give voice to the young people who have felt uncommitted to a top-of-ticket candidate but still deeply committed to the democratic process.

What are the main messages, or message, you want viewers to understand about people who are uncommitted going into this election?

I wanted viewers to understand how painful this presidential election is for those who are grieving the massacres of tens of thousands of innocent people in a war funded with our tax dollars.

What were some of the things you learned from documenting Zahra sharing her perspective?

I learned that many young people felt so discouraged about the U.S.-backed war in Gaza that they felt like their votes didn’t matter, and they couldn’t affect change on the issue that mattered so much to them. I learned that talking to community elders who could provide perspective from past elections was helpful in giving younger voters another way of thinking about this election.

There are many Gen Z folks who will be voting for the first time this election, what encouragement do you hope to give them through ‘Uncommitted’?

I want them to know that you should vote AND continue to advocate for the policy changes that matter to you. It’s not an either-or-proposition. And, we have faced situations in past elections where both candidates seemed to represent equally bad foreign policy positions. But our vote is an essential piece of our power.

What does it mean to be a woman of color, a Muslim, a mother, and a storyteller today in America, as we head toward election day in November?

I have a responsibility to speak my truth and uplift the stories and voices of people who have been dehumanized in our country. I have faced a great deal of backlash for my views, but I refuse to be silenced.

What are you working on next, and where can we see more of your work and follow you?

I am working on a series of video conversations about how to heal our mental health challenges, specifically as it relates to Black and brown communities. You can find me on IG @AishaSultanStories on Facebook at Aisha Sultan and soon to be launching on TikTok. Stay tuned.