A New Documentary on Zoran Mamdani’s Mayoral Journey

A documentary is in the works about Zoran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist aiming to become the mayor of New York City in 2023.

Julia Basha, who directs the film, is also the creative director at Just Vision, a nonprofit that shares narratives about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The article notes that Basha’s interest in the region led her to Mamdani three years ago. She learned about a New York activist group urging charities to refrain from using tax-deductible donations to support Israeli settlements this year.

The documentary initially focused on whether Mamdani and his pro-Palestinian colleagues could hold their congressional seats during New York’s upcoming election. However, it evolved to cover his journey to the mayoral position. Basha has reportedly gathered over 200 hours of film on this path, and she has expressed a particular interest in the impact of Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, on his life.

“He’s the son of a filmmaker,” Basha said. “He’s quite disciplined, so I think he felt confident carrying a camera.”

As Mamdani campaigned door to door throughout New York, interest in his potential mayorship grew.

Basha recalled asking him what his goals were as he worked hard on the campaign. “He kept insisting, ‘No, I have no ambitions.’ This is just how we support one another,” she shared.

She highlighted that many attacks directed at Mamdani were tied to his advocacy for Palestine, a trend that persisted during the mayoral race.