From May 29 to 31, Zawya Cinema is turning into a full-on emotional rollercoaster with 47 short films from the Manassat Film Festival. Drama? Check. Horror? Yep. Real-life secrets and parking lot chaos? Also yes. Here are some of the films we’re buzzing about.
Teta – Ahmed Samir
In this psychological horror short, Mona Hala plays a mother grappling with her son’s strange behavior after he claims to be in contact with his dead grandmother.
Her refusal to believe him sets off a chain of unsettling events. Premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival 2024 and now in Manassat Film Festival:, this one promises to linger long after the credits roll.
Ismail – Maged Atta
When a school janitor’s long-awaited reward from the principal gets delayed, he pulls a harmless prank to blow off steam. But when the prank ends in a fit of uncontrollable laughter, things take a sharp, tragic turn. A short film that begins with light humor and ends somewhere completely unexpected.
What Is Left Behind – Alia Ibrahim
Mohamed Hatem stars as Samir, a man consumed by grief after the loss of his father. As he begins to spend more and more time at the gravesite, guilt and memory take hold until the grave becomes his own sanctuary. This Manassat film is a quiet, powerful meditation on mourning and letting go.
No Parking or Waiting – Amr Gouda
Two people. One parked car. A stolen moment between Hadil Hassan and Amro Saleh was ruined by a parking attendant with a phone and no boundaries. What follows is a chain reaction of public outrage, blackmail, and internet chaos. A sharp take on surveillance, intimacy, and how fast things escalate in a hypercritical society.
My Grandmother’s Secret – Nourhan Abdelsalam
This short nonfiction film follows director Nourhan Abdelsalam as she uncovers a hidden trauma from her grandmother’s childhood.
Revisiting key locations, from a quiet village to downtown Cairo, she pieces together a painful legacy of survival and silence.
The film premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival. Quietly devastating and deeply personal.
Manassat Film Festival 2025 isn’t just a film festival; it’s a window into the stories we don’t hear enough. These are just a few of the titles we can’t wait to experience on the big screen. See you at Zawya.
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