Episode 359: Kashif Pasta and The Muslim Guide to Prayer in Space

Kashif Pasta returns to the YVR Screen Scene Podcast to talk about his new short film, The Muslim Guide to Prayer in Space, which screens this weekend at the DGC BC’s Spotlight Directors Conference. The Muslim Guide to Prayer in Space stars friend of the pod Osric Chau as a Malaysian astronaut endeavouring to find a direction to pray in orbit, where there is no up or down. Kashif’s film is inspired in part by the experience of Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a Muslim astronaut who made history as the first Malaysian in space and actually ascended during Ramadan, which presented all kinds of challenges that he and religious authorities worked to figure out. Kashif’s film was funded in part by the DGC BC, who awarded Kashif the DGC BC Established Greenlight Award at the 2024 Spotlight BC Directors Conference (full disclosure: our host – Sabrina – was on the jury that awarded Kashif this prize). In this wildly entertaining episode, Kashif reflects on the hows and whys of his thought-provoking, funny, visually stunning, and soul-stirring film. Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment