Lights, camera, action: TV comedy series brings work and opportunities to Sask.

REGINA -

A Saskatchewan-born TV series aims to bring film industry jobs to the province, as well as opportunities for women of colour.

Zarqa Nawaz, creator of “Little Mosque on the Prairie,” is creating, writing, producing and staring in a new comedy series being filmed in Regina called “Zarqa”.

The show is about a Muslim woman going through a divorce.

Nawaz said in the past it’s typically white men who direct shows like this, but she wanted to give women, especially women of colour, the opportunity to be involved.

“Since I’m a BIPOC woman, who better to give the chance to BIPOC women,” Nawaz said. “I wanted to make sure the pilot was directed by a Muslim woman, I wanted to make sure woman who are Indigenous also got a chance to direct narrative.”

Nawaz said all six writers, producers and directors of the show or women and women of colour, adding she thinks the diversity will make the project better.

Saskatchewan actor Rob van Meenen said he agrees with that theory.

“I’m one of the white guys, but we get a real…Muslim experience and presence on the set,” van Meenen said. “That synergy between all this intersecting cultures, that’s the stuff I really love.”

Nawaz is also using the show as a way to hopefully bring the Saskatchewan film tax credit back to the province.

The credit was cut in 2012 and the film and television industry has been vocal how it has hurt the industry.

Nawaz said Regina has the talent and infrastructure, like a working sound stage, making it a great place for all film and television.

She added that shows like “Corner Gas” and “Little Mosque on the Prairie” – that were filmed in Saskatchewan – helped ignite the film industry in Canada.

“I want to be a part of bringing that back and convincing people that we can do it. We have the talent and we just have to do it,” Nawaz said. “My hope is that Saskatchewan can be on the forefront of the film and television industry again.”

Van Meenen said it is nice to have people like Nawaz bringing big projects like “Zarqa” back to the province.

“It really feels great to come together again, be with a crew again,” van Meenen said. “For me, I haven’t filmed in Regina for seven or eight years and now coming back it almost was metaphorically like peeling the cobwebs back and reminding myself of all the fun parts of it and the whole experience again.”