“My work is about embracing humanity. Whether I’m shooting a movie or a commercial, kids or adults, muppets or manatees, celebrities or everyday people — my job is to illuminate what’s beautiful inside of us all.”

                                                                                                                                        – Mustapha Khan

 

BODY OF WORK:

 

The Session, feature documentary, explores collaborative creative process of recording music.

Rocksteady, Rastafarian-infused coming of age feel-good feature about aspiring stock car racer.

• 2011 Best Picture Award, Litchfield Hills Film Festival

• 2011 Jamaica Reggae Film Festival, Won Best Director Award

House On Fire, documentary about AIDS Epidemic in Black America

• 2000 Best Documentary Award, Houston International Film Festival

• Extensively exhibited worldwide

• Honored by US House of Representatives, with special screening for Congress

Reflections Of A Native Son, critically-acclaimed film, troubled South Bronx teenager

• Nationally broadcast on PBS

• Permanent display at American Museum of Television & Radio Paley Center

Sesame Street’s 25th Anniversary: A Musical Celebration, one-hour television special.

• Nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award

• Best-selling home video in Sesame Street’s history

 

AWARDS:

 

• Daytime Emmy Award, Outstanding Directing for original work for Sesame Street

• Daytime Emmy Nominations (2),  for original work for Sesame Street

• Addy Award, Outstanding Directing for his commercial work

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Commercial Director credits, national television spots: Coca-Cola, Honda, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Burger King, HBO, and Nickelodeon

 

Celebrities Khan has directed include: Gloria Estefan, Quincy Jones, Maya Angelou, Ralph Nader, Charlie Rose, Bill Cosby, Ray Charles, Alicia Keys, Mya, Snoop Dogg, Dave Chappelle, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, L.L Cool J, Savion Glover, Savannah Guthrie, the Chief Justices of the State of New York, and all of the Sesame Street Muppets.

 

Khan is a graduate of Harvard University, where he was a Harvard College Scholar, and elected Marshal of graduating class. He was also the recipient of a Rotary Scholarship, with which he worked as an anthropologist in Kenya prior to becoming a filmmaker. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and a Professor at Brooklyn College where he teaches directing.

Mustapha Khan lives in Brooklyn with his wife Allyson Smith, and their dog Freddie.