Girl
Winner of the Yamama Audience Choice Award for Best Short at the Toronto Arab Film Festival
A lonely international student creates an imaginary girlfriend to impress his roommates – then struggles to let her go.
Looking for friendship in a new country, Nader (Anas Hasan), a Palestinian international student, moves in with two chauvinistic bros who exploit him for rent money and social currency during a wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests. Hoping to fit in, Nader invents a girlfriend named “Cynthia” (Megan Tracz), who gradually becomes a warped projection of Nader’s insecurities as a foreigner. As fantasy and reality blur, he must decide whether to end the illusion or keep clinging to the only ‘person’ who values him.
Written and directed by Omar Mouallem
Award-winning director of The Lebanese Burger Mafia and author of How Muslims Shaped the Americas .
Based on the short story “Cynthia” by Saeed Teebi
From the book Her First Palestinian , a finalist for the 2022 Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Anas Hasan
Nader
Steven Miller
Jeff
Omar Mouallem — Producer,
Director, Screenwriter
Omar is an author and filmmaker. His feature film The Lebanese Burger Mafia (Paramount+) won Audience Choice at the 2023 Northwest International Documentary Festival.
Issa Shah — Director of Photography
Issa has worked with HBO, CBC and Warner Music. His credits include Queen Tut and Strangers in a Room.
Cast & Credits
Megan Tracz
Cynthia
Zachary Dean Friesen
Harv
Moh & Mazen Mahfouz — Producers
The sibling duo behind B.A.D. Films and key collaborators on The Lebanese Burger Mafia . They produce documentaries and commercials and have screened their films at festivals around the world.
Leen Issa — Editor
Leen was supervising editor for VICE Arabia and works across documentary, commercial and narrative film. She also directed Deuteronomy.
Saeed Teebi — Executive Producer & Story Author
A lawyer and writer whose Her First Palestinian: and Other Stories was a finalist for the Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Etta George House — Production Designer
Etta has worked across Making Kayfabe , Making Room , Secret Time and Before I Change My Mind.
Producers and Supporters
Specifications
Premiere Date: September 27, 2025
Genres: Drama, Comedy, Fantasy
Runtime: 17 minutes 55 seconds
Country of Origin: Canada Shooting
Format: Digital (Colour)
Aspect Ratio: 2.66:1 Sound: Stereo
Publicity & Screening
Electronic press kit available on Film Freeway. Email omar@haqstory.com for all other requests.
Produced by BAD Films and Haq Story Studios in collaboration with Parsec Motion Pictures and MENA Film Festival.
Funding support from Edmonton Arts Council, Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Canada Council for the Arts.