When Dubai-based screenwriter and director Hana Kazim was studying business in college, she took a film class that introduced her to The Godfather (1972). Seeing that perennial film classic inspired her to later earn an MFA in Film Producing from the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, where she met her future collaborators, producer Hind Al Basti and cinematographer Jordan Gzesh.
Makr is a captivating, cautionary tale that explores the possible spiritual repercussions of greed-driven charlatan activities in the name of God. Shiekh (Mansoor Alfeeli) is an Islamic exorcist, grieving the loss of his young daughter Iman (Iman Tarik).
FemmeFilmFest21 Interview: ‘Makr’ director Hana Kazim
One night, he visits the home of Khalid (Mohammed Amed) and his wife Laila (Madiya Humaid). Khalid asserts that Laila’s volatile behavior is due to djinn (demonic) possession. The two men agree on a monetary sum before Shiekh works his pseudo-liberation magic.
Things are not as they seem, as hell—literally—breaks loose in ways unexpected to both Shiekh and film spectators. Makr is a horror head trip reminiscent of Get Out (2017), except Shiekh owns all of the culpability for his partner weaknesses of lack of faith and swindlery, perhaps fueled by anger at God for the loss of a child, whereas Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) endures a surreal nightmare come true for being a Black man in a racist world.
