Mahnoor Zaidi is a Pakistani/Canadian director, writer and producer. She studied film production at York University, Toronto, graduating in 2017. After working in Canada, she shifted to Pakistan to connect to her roots. Her documentary, Dust to Dust, took rounds of film festivals around the world winning awards as well as reaching the semi-finals of Student Academy Awards. Moreover, theatre had always been an integral part of her life hence she joined hands to co-direct a theatre production, Dracula, in Lahore and Karachi with multiple successful shows. Mahnoor's projects varied from documentaries to narrative shorts and her love for fiction films began after working on a feature film as an assistant director with Sarmad Khoosat in Pakistan.
Films shown in Divvy Film Festival 2021
Mahnoor Zaidi, Dust to Dust
Dust to Dust touches upon the fundamental truth of life - death - and the eternal human quest to transcend it. In the ageless city of Lahore, Pakistan, it is business as usual for Ashraf as he digs yet another grave. His work as a gravedigger requires him to deal with death on a daily basis. Nevertheless, as he digs deeper, he grows firmer in his resolve to rise above and attain enlightenment among the darkness.
Dust to Dust touches upon the fundamental truth of life - death - and the eternal human quest to transcend it. In the ageless city of Lahore, Pakistan, it is business as usual for Ashraf as he digs yet another grave. His work as a gravedigger requires him to deal with death on a daily basis. Nevertheless, as he digs deeper, he grows firmer in his resolve to rise above and attain enlightenment among the darkness.
Mahnoor Zaidi, 455mL, 2021
Kausar, a middle aged trans-woman, receives a call to donate blood to a critically ill boy with the same rare blood group as hers. She rushes through the busy city of Lahore to reach the hospital on time, only to find out that her blood is not welcome, even if it costs the boy his life.
Kausar, a middle aged trans-woman, receives a call to donate blood to a critically ill boy with the same rare blood group as hers. She rushes through the busy city of Lahore to reach the hospital on time, only to find out that her blood is not welcome, even if it costs the boy his life.
