Exclusive: Director Discusses Mental Health, Motherhood, and Defying Western Tropes in Trailer Debut of Red Sea Competition Film 'Sink'

Jordanian filmmaker Zain Duraie makes her first appearance at this years Red Sea Film Festival with Sink (Gharaq), her debut feature-length drama, which is competing in the festivals main program. The film tells the story of a mother confronting the mental health struggles of her teenage son, charting her growing desperation as she faces the challenges of his deteriorating condition. Duraies earlier work, the short film Give Up the Ghost, gained international recognition after premiering in Venices Horizons Shorts Competition in 2019 and winning several festival awards.

Variety is exclusively debuting the first trailer for Sink, which centers on Nadia, played by Palestinian actress Clara Khoury. Nadia attempts to steer her son Basil, portrayed by Mohammad Nizar, back on track after a disturbing incident at school. As Basils mental state worsens, Nadia struggles to accept the severity of the situation, increasingly denying the reality until crisis looms.

Personal Roots and Creative Vision

Speaking to Variety ahead of the festival, Duraie revealed that the story draws from deeply personal experiences, though she prefers to keep specific details private. Its a very personal story, but Im protecting someones privacy, she explained. The filmmaker emphasized her motivation: I wanted to tackle a topic rarely discussed in Arab cinema because filmmakers often pursue trendy subjects or meet Western festival expectations. I aimed to tell a story from my heart, grounded in personal experience.

The film examines schizoaffective disorder within an upper-middle-class household, yet Duraie stresses that it is ultimately a story about a mothers love. People often call it a film about mental health, but to me, its an ode to motherhood, she says.

Challenges and Regional Support

Some Western financiers rejected the project for being insufficiently Jordanian, expecting narratives centered on poverty or social collapse rather than an intimate family drama. Duraie and producer Alaa Alasad turned instead to regional co-production, securing funding from Arab institutions such as the Jordan Film Fund, Doha Film Institute, Red Sea Film Fund, and Arab Fund for Arts and Culture in Lebanon. All of our regional partners supported the project wholeheartedly, Duraie notes, emphasizing the universality of the story.

Visual Style and Symbolism

Water plays a central role in the film, reflecting the mothers emotional state. The Arabic title Gharaq carries dual meanings: drowning and sinking. A swimming pool functions symbolically, illustrating denial and the characters emotional submersion. Cinematographer Farouk Laaridh captured fluid, immersive sequences, including a pivotal underwater disaster sequence that intensifies as the narrative unfolds. We wanted the camera to move as if reflecting her inner thoughts, Duraie explained.

Silence is another essential storytelling device. Duraie, who describes herself as terrified of dialogue, structured the film around quiet emotional beats, relying on her actors ability to convey nuance. Both Khoury and Nizar underwent extensive preparation to portray their characters authentically, focusing on subtle gestures and internal shifts that form the films emotional core.

Reception and Festival Significance

Following its premiere in Torontos Discovery section and screenings at BFI London, Sink has received critical acclaim and strong audience reactions. Viewers, including people living with mental illness and mothers, have expressed gratitude for its sensitive depiction of personal struggle. Returning to the Red Sea Film Festival, where the project was initially developed and where Duraie was recognized as an Arab Star of Tomorrow, is a significant milestone. Its a full-circle moment, she says, acknowledging both excitement and nerves as the film screens for Arab audiences for the first time.

Future Plans

Duraie intends to continue exploring complex female characters and nuanced portrayals of mental health in her upcoming projects. My next film will be even riskier, she shares. Ive found my element with Sink, and its helping me shape my voice as one of the most distinctive new directors in Arab cinema.

Author: Sophia Brooks