a film by ZAYN ALEXANDER
TRAILER
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
“Manara” began from a deep-rooted frustration and angst with a culture that is obsessed with appearances. An older generation who is willing to risk their well being and the well being of their children as long as they remain intact in the eyes of their immediate community, family, and the country as a whole.
With that in mind, we chose to tell a story about a family in conservative Southern Lebanon who has just been dealt a “scandal”, which, if exposed, might stain them for the rest of their lives. How far is this family going to go to protect their secret? At the center is a woman who strives to remain dignified and put together in front of the world. She’s engrossed in her image to the detriment of her family. She has decided that living in dysfunction and keeping things bottled up is healthier for her and her family than going public with her secret.
Manara means lighthouse. A lighthouse is a steady and grounded structure that leads people to safety and away from danger, risk, and adversity. A lighthouse symbolizes the way forward and helps in navigating our way through rough waters. What happens when that light is extinguished? How then do we move from adversity?
SYNOPSIS
Tragedy strikes when the Zayyad family loses its patriarch under mysterious circumstances, leaving the surviving members to fend for themselves within a judgmental community in Southern Lebanon.
CAST & CREW
Hala Basma
Safieddine
Hala Basma Safieddine is a Lebanese actress known for her role as “Alia” in the short drama Manara.
A mother of two, Hala currently resides in Toulouse, France.
Pascale Seigneurie is a Lebanese-American actress, writer and dancer currently trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris and Fordham University in New York. Her stage work includes performances with multicultural New York theatre companies such as The Lark, Noor Theatre and Polybe+Seats.
As a film actress, she recently played the lead role in Roads to Olympia, a feature-length sports drama directed by Ramazan Nanayev, as well as multiple award-winning shorts, three of which she also wrote: Abroad (2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival), Manara (2019 Venice Film Festival) and Roadblock (currently in post-production).
Pascale
Seigneurie
Zayn
Alexander
Zayn Alexander is a Lebanese actor and director based in New York City. Alexander’s debut short film, “Abroad”, an intimate drama that explores the life of a Lebanese immigrant couple, made its world premiere at the Oscar-qualifying Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Alexander’s second directorial effort, “Manara”, debuted during the 76th Venice Film Festival in the Giornate degli Autori section (2019 Venice Days). Prior to pursuing a career in film, Alexander completed a Master of Arts degree in Psychology at Columbia University and a Master of Science degree in Communications at New York University.
CAST
ALIA
RAMI
NOURA
Hala Basma Safieddine
Zayn Alexander
Pascale Seigneurie
CREW
MUSIC BY
EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTION
SOUND DESIGN
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
COLOR GRADING
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS PRODUCED BY
CO-PRODUCED BY
SCREENPLAY BY
DIRECTED BY
Simon TaufiQue
Stephanie Nassar
Aron Meinhardt
Marita Akl, Laura Menassa
Haitham Atme
Dahlia Nemlich
Belal Hibri
Pascale Seigneurie, Aron Meinhardt
Zayn Alexander
Ghada Basma
Pascale Seigneurie
Zayn Alexander
FESTIVALS & AWARDS
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
2019 VENICE DAYS
16th Giornate degli Autori
during the 76th Venice Film Festival
WINNER
SILVER HYPATHIA AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM
6th Alexandria Short Film Festival
WINNER
LAGUNA SUD AWARD FOR BEST
SHORT FILM
5th edition of "Laguna Sud, Il Cinema fuori dal Palazzo" / Laguna Sud, The Cinema Outside the Palace
WINNER
THE AHMED KHEDR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARAB FILMMAKING
2020 ÉCU The European Independent Film Festival
NOMINATED
TANIT D'OR
2019 Carthage Film Festival
NOMINATED
PREMIO SPECIALE DEL PUBLICCO
2020 River Film Festival / Padua, Italy
NOMINATED
BEST SHORT FILM
2020 BCT - Festival Nazionale del Cinema e della Televisione / Città di Benevento
WINNER
BEST ACTOR
2020 Elba Film Festival
PRESS
“... Thoughtful and quietly powerful, and feels particularly timely.”
—
Lorna Codrai,
Film Inquiry
“Alexander has something to say about his country’s behavioral and psychological attitudes and it is remarkable what he manages to achieve in such a short time frame.”
—
Lorna Codrai,
Film Inquiry
“... A perfect example of how to carefully construct a short film narrative.”
—
Bianca Garner,
In Their Own League
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“... A compelling and well-crafted film.”
—
Bianca Garner,
In Their Own League
“... A poetic and potent exploration of family, grief, rage and anger.”
—
James Mottram,
The National
“One of the best Arab short films of 2019.”
—
Raseef 22
“... A riveting intrigue filled film with Hitchkockesque elements. Director Zayn Alexander has skilfully crafted a tale that straddles the genres of a murder mystery but equally examines societal pressure and customs.”
—
Franglais 27 Tales
"A stylish, emotional study and offers that commentary on the role of women and the requirement to maintain appearances.”
—
Franglais 27 Tales
“Troubled family relationships, loss of communication, carefully curated appearances. Such are the themes of this powerful film, broached in a way that implicates the viewer, but does not give all the answers, leaving room for varying interpretations.”
—
Mazen Fawzy