Mogul Mowgli (dir. Bassam Tariq) x VIFF 2020.

British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed (aka Riz MC) stars, co-writes, and produces the semi-autobiographical story of an ambitious young rapper from West London whose life gets derailed by a degenerative autoimmune disease. The unabashedly second-generation South Asian tale revolves around conflicting identities and crises of consciousness as Ahmed’s Zed must deal with his conservative Muslim parents while recuperating.

Focused on personal history and family heritage, Mogul Mowgli tries to balance issues of creative independence and traditional values while also remembering the trauma of immigration.

• Screening virtually at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival online as part of the Contemporary World Cinema stream until October 7 (BC only).