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This shorts program illuminates the struggle within oneself. Through surreal storytelling and experimental forms, these films explore mental health and self-reflection. Runtime is 54 minutes
After a devastating car accident kills her father and brother, 18-year-old Layla struggles with crushing survivor's guilt, leaving her unable to reconnect with her grieving mother. Layla descends into terrifying sleep paralysis, where her memories distort and the boundary between nightmare and reality collide, unleashing a cosmic reckoning that could shatter her world or set her free.
About the Filmmaker:
Hana Kazim is a filmmaker based in the UAE. She earned her MFA from the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles and has been working in the regional film industry since 2015, contributing to the production of several Arab feature films.
In 2018, she wrote and directed the short horror film Makr, which screened at festivals worldwide. The film gained widespread recognition, amassing over a million views online through the Alter and Vice platforms, and earned a feature on Short of the Week.
Passionate about expanding the horror genre in the Middle East, Hana founded Wiswas in 2022, a development company dedicated to Middle Eastern horror storytelling.
- Year2025
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountryUnited Arab Emirates
- PremiereMichigan Premiere
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Content WarningThis film may include emotional subject matter.
- DirectorHana Kazim
- ScreenwriterHana Kazim
- ProducerLubna Bagsair
- CastKhawla Abdusalam, Hiba Judeh, Abdulrahman Al Madani
- EditorMarine Chiu
This shorts program illuminates the struggle within oneself. Through surreal storytelling and experimental forms, these films explore mental health and self-reflection. Runtime is 54 minutes
After a devastating car accident kills her father and brother, 18-year-old Layla struggles with crushing survivor's guilt, leaving her unable to reconnect with her grieving mother. Layla descends into terrifying sleep paralysis, where her memories distort and the boundary between nightmare and reality collide, unleashing a cosmic reckoning that could shatter her world or set her free.
About the Filmmaker:
Hana Kazim is a filmmaker based in the UAE. She earned her MFA from the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles and has been working in the regional film industry since 2015, contributing to the production of several Arab feature films.
In 2018, she wrote and directed the short horror film Makr, which screened at festivals worldwide. The film gained widespread recognition, amassing over a million views online through the Alter and Vice platforms, and earned a feature on Short of the Week.
Passionate about expanding the horror genre in the Middle East, Hana founded Wiswas in 2022, a development company dedicated to Middle Eastern horror storytelling.
- Year2025
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountryUnited Arab Emirates
- PremiereMichigan Premiere
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Content WarningThis film may include emotional subject matter.
- DirectorHana Kazim
- ScreenwriterHana Kazim
- ProducerLubna Bagsair
- CastKhawla Abdusalam, Hiba Judeh, Abdulrahman Al Madani
- EditorMarine Chiu