Congratulations to CALA faculty, Simon TaufiQue, a producer for Nardeep Khurmi’s film Land of Gold – this year’s winning film in AT&T’s Untold Stories|Tribeca program! The Land of Gold team will receive $1 million dollars, and a slot at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. Also, for the first time, HBOMax is distributing the winning film on their platform.
Untold Stories is a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca that seeks to help underrepresented filmmakers produce their films. Land of Gold follows Kiren, a first-generation Punjabi trucker, and anxious father-to-be, who meets Elena, a 10-year-old undocumented Mexican-American, during a cross-country trip. The film explores the unexpected journey Kiren and Elena take as he helps her find her way home.
TaufiQue is an instructor at NYU CALA, teaching in the Certificate in TV and Film Producing. He has produced a number of award-winning films with distribution by companies such as Lionsgate, Universal, and Monument. Additionally, TaufiQue is a film composer and programming consultant for Oscar-qualifying festivals. His course this fall “Building a Career as a TV or Film Producer” is ideal for students interested in the industry. Additionally, those wanting to pursue a further career in film can check out CALA’s Certificate in Filmmaking to expound on the essential concepts, techniques, and technology of digital filmmaking.