(Envision Award Winner)
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Original Film Title: The Cycle
Director’s Name: Sara Hakam Musa
Writer’s Name: Sara Hakam Musa
Producer: Sarah Babar
Country of Origin: Jordan
Country of Filming: Turkey
Language: Urdu
Runtime: 8 minutes 48 seconds
Film Description:
The Cycle is a haunting psychological drama that delves into the inner turmoil of Lila, a 21-year-old fashion student caught in the quiet violence of an eating disorder. Beneath the surface of her structured daily life, early mornings, creative deadlines, workouts, and brief phone calls with her mother, lies a suffocating pattern of control, obsession, and self-destruction.
Torn between the demands of her art and the unattainable ideals plastered across the pages of her sketchbooks, Lila spirals into a repetitive routine marked by silent meals, compulsive exercise, and midnight binges that end in shame and emptiness. The film intimately captures her isolated world through stark visuals, subtle sounds, and an unspoken desperation for relief.
Set in the heart of Istanbul, The Cycle paints a visceral portrait of mental health and identity, culminating in a chilling loop: the same alarm, the same struggle, the same day, restarting once again.