ABOUT

1497 is committed to supporting and uplifting talent of South Asian descent to challenge their historical exclusion from and underrepresentation in the American film and television industry.

1497 was the last year that the area now known as South Asia (consisting of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) was free from colonization. We are reclaiming our collective ancestry to a time when our nations lived without the yoke of colonizers held over them.

To learn more about how we've defined South Asia, visit our FAQ page.