On Monday, February 10, at the Producers Club Theater in midtown Manhattan, HamptonsFilm presented a reading of selected scenes from our 2024 Melissa Mathison Award recipient Sarah Mokh’s original screenplay Diary of a Muslim Cynic.
Stephanie Klapper and her team pulled together a wonderful cast of actors for the reading (see below), who mingled with our guests at a reception following the reading. Congratulations to Sarah, and thanks to all who joined us. We look forward to seeing where Sarah’s immense talent takes her next.
Next up: our 25th Annual Screenwriters Lab on April 4-6!
Sarah Mokh received the Melissa Mathison Award, established in 2016 and named for the late Hollywood screenwriter of the iconic film E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL. The Award supports HIFF’s annual Screenwriters Lab, and in particular, is instrumental in ensuring that female voices are showcased. This reading is a direct result of receiving this fund, and will take Shehrezad one step further in her film’s production. Support women in film with a donation.
Read more about the project and the cast below.
DIARY OF A MUSLIM CYNIC
Desperate to escape her Midwest small town in the aftermath of a tragedy, Nora’s pursuits of love, college, and big city dreams are upended by ghosts of her past and a looming existential crisis.
Screenwriter: Shehrezad Maher
Sarah Mokh is a Lebanese-American writer and director interested in what the stories we tell reveal about how we believe the world works. She is a graduate of Harvard, where she studied Islamic Civilizations and English, and is currently a graduate student at NYU, where she studies Islamic mysticism and literature.
Sarah is a 2022 Film Independent Episodic fellow, a 2024 Sundance Feature Film fellow, and currently in development on her first feature film.
Cast
Nada Shehata (NORA)
Nada Shehata is a New York based Egyptian-American actress. She makes her screen debut in Sarah Mokh’s CIGARETTES, which will premiere this March at SXSW in Austin. Nada is a graduate of the William Esper Studio Conservatory where she studied under Barbara Marchant. She is represented by Seven Summits Pictures and Management.
Laith Nakli (BASSAM)
Laith Nakli is a Syrian actor/writer. He graduated from the prestigious William Esper Studio Professional Actor Training Program. Laith made his stage debut in War at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Company. Other credits include Cry of the Reed – Huntington, Inana – Denver Center, Aftermath – NYTW, Lidless – Page 73, Food & Fadwa – NYTW and Cyrano – Goodspeed. Laith had the world premiere of his first play, Shesh Yak, at the award-winning Off-Broadway Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in NYC. Laith is one of the regular characters in the HULU series Ramy and in the Marvel series Ms Marvel. Film credits: SWALLOW, 12 STRONG, THE WALL, THE VISITOR, ARRANGED, SAM & AMIRA.
Sef Khan (QASIM)
Sef Khan is an actor Born in Karachi, Pakistan. He was raised in Queens, NY. He started acting at the age of 13 in Off Broadway plays. He since has acted in numerous short films and music videos. Highlights include LADKE, directed by Priya Minhas; SANJU, directed by Rajkumar Harani; and AAJA- SWET SHOP BOYS with Riz Ahmed.
Dexter Crayton MicKinney Jr (MAC/MAN)
Dexter McKinney is super excited to be back at the Producers Club where he spent a couple of years studying acting with Anthony Abeson. He’s always grateful to hear from Stephanie Klapper Casting and thrilled to be cast in Diary of a Muslim Cynic. Dexter made his Broadway debut as (u/s Dez/Reggie) in the Tony Award Winner Skeleton Crew, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Other victories on his resume include When They See Us, Mrs. America, Dr. Death, and City On A Hill. Dexter’s social media content can be seen on TikTok & Instagram @DexterCrayton.
Monna Sabouri (MERAL)
Monna Sabouri is a New York-based actor and writer. Her onscreen credits include Madam Secretary, FBI, The Night Agent, and The Blacklist: Redemption. As a writer, her work has been featured in Noor Theater’s Highlight Series. She currently manages the SWANA Writers Co-Op, supporting Southwest Asian and North African artists.
Andrea Cirie (MS ROTHMAN)
Andrea Cirie is a New York city-based theatre, television and film actor. Selected television credits include The Blacklist, House of Cards (recurring), Blue Bloods, Law and Order: SVU, Madam Secretary, Younger, The Defenders, Search Party, Unforgettable, For Life, and 30 Rock. On film she appeared in IRRESISTIBLE, I’LL MEET YOU THERE (SXSW), THE SANTA CON, VIOLET TENDENCIES, OFF T RAILS, and FLATBUSH LUCK. Her extensive stage credits include productions at The Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Old Globe Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, Cincinnati Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Syracuse Stage, The Geva Theatre Center, The Cherry Lane Theater, Capital Rep, and Hartford Stage, among others. Cirie is a proud member of Sag-Aftra and The Actor’s Equity Association.
Ariana Mahallati (NARRATOR)
Ariana Mahallati (she/her) is an Iranian-American actress with a B.A. in Theatre from U.C. San Diego. She originated the role of Mojdeh in Liliana Padilla’s How to Defend Yourself and reprised the role at the 43rd Humana Festival of New American Plays, Victory Gardens Theatre, & New York Theatre workshop You can hear her voice in Pixar’s upcoming WIN OR LOSE, streaming on Disney+ February 19, 2025.
Sarah Himadeh (AMINA)
Lebanese-born, Canadian-raised, Sarah Himadeh resides between New York, Los Angeles and Beirut. A Biotechnology grad from McGill, with a 10-month career as a Merrill Lynch private banker in London – I know – Himadeh eventually moved to New York to pursue her lifelong calling as a storyteller. With a theatre and film degree from William Esper Studios, she now delights in storytelling both on stage and on set. Last year, Himadeh founded a theatre company that takes on social justice issues with humor. She also just wrapped the first season of The Promised Land – out on Netflix in Spring 2025. But for now, you can catch her on Ramy, The Last of Us, and Law & Order.
Stephanie Klapper, CSA: Casting Director
Stephanie Klapper (Stephanie Klapper Casting) is a New York-based, award-winning casting director whose work is frequently seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, internationally, on television, film, and on many streaming platforms. Ms. Klapper is passionate about arts education and working with creative teams to develop new work and expand the scope of established work. She, along with her extraordinary team, is dedicated to continuing to expand and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business. Connecting creative, caring people to each other to make extraordinary things happen is amongst SKC’s greatest joys. Klappercasting.com / @stephanieklappercasting
Casting Assistants: Gracie Guichard, Emma Balk, Joe Piserchio
The annual HamptonsFilm Screenwriters Lab, celebrating 25 years in 2025 (April 4-6), pairs emerging screenwriters with established screenwriters, directors and producers for a collaborative weekend of one-on-one mentoring sessions each spring in the Hamptons.
