TFS Grad Zain Duraie to Mark World Premiere of Debut Feature ‘Sink’ at TIFF 2025
Class of 2010 Film Production grad Zain Duraie will celebrate the world premiere her debut feature film Sink at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this fall.
The 88-minute drama, which Duraie wrote and directed, has been selected as part of TIFF’s prestigious Discovery programme, which highlights first and second features from visionary filmmakers from around the world. Past participants include internationally acclaimed directors such as Christopher Nolan, Barry Jenkins, Julie Dash, Alfonso Cuarón, and Yorgos Lanthimos, among others.
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Described by Duraie as a deeply personal project in which she left “every piece of my heart on the screen,” Sink explores the relationship between a mother (played by Palestinian actress Clara Khoury) and her teenage son (Jordanian actor Mohammad Nizar in his first lead role) as he struggles with an undiagnosed mental illness.
“It’s a film with pure honesty and truth, nothing else,” Duraie said of Sink in a July 26 Instagram post announcing Sink’s TIFF selection.
“Every frame holds a pain I lived with, denied, and finally dared to face – first in writing, then directing, then editing. Cinema became the only way I knew how to tell the truth – to give shape to what was burning inside me.”
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Praised by TIFF programmers as “a magnificent portrait” of a mother struggling with her son’s unravelling mental state, Duraie said Sink presents a “new and unusual” story from the Arab world that may very well mark the first time a film from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to tackle mental illness.”
“It didn’t fit any trending boxes. No slogans. No agendas. No poverty stories, no social stereotypes. No politics. No preaching. Just the world I knew – modern, silent, raw, emotional, messy, and very human,” she said, characterizing the process of finding financing for a film a “brutal” one.
“Resources were few because our film didn’t fit any trends or check boxes. And now, five years later…we’re here – with blood, sweat, tears and love.”
The project – which wrapped its 22-day shoot in Amman, Jordan in November 2024 – was developed with the support of several regional and international institutions. It received funding from the Red Sea Fund, following participation in the Red Sea Lodge training programme in 2021, as well as backing from the Doha Film Institute, the Jordan Film Fund, and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture.
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Sink, Duraie noted, is the only Arab film selected for the 2025 TIFF Discovery program, which this year boasts 23 world premieres from more than 30 countries – a feat she’s very proud of.
“My ambition is to contribute to modern Jordanian cinema by telling personal stories rooted in societal pressures, while elevating narratives from my culture,” she said. “My dream is to continue writing and directing for the rest of my life.”
The full schedule of TIFF 2025 screenings – including Sink – is slated to be released on August 12. For more information about the film and its upcoming TIFF Discovery screening, go to https://tiff.net/films/sink
