Grins & Lies

DIRECTOR(s): Senait Mengstab

​PROJECT TYPE:  Narrative Short
GENRE: NA

COUNTRY:  United States

RUN TIME: 00:05:00
CAST: Mariama Conde, Aryem Ben Hamida

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​In a picturesque coastal town in Italy, Ayesha (Mariama Conde) moves through a landscape of cobblestone streets and lively gatherings yet remains isolated behind a literal and metaphorical mask. Guided by the verses of Paul Laurence Dunbar, the film navigates the exhaustion of performing for a society that demands assimilation. Her stoicism is challenged by the presence of a young girl (Aryem)—a manifestation of her own free inner child. Through this connection, Ayesha is reminded to pursue a life rooted in authenticity, defying a world that does not love her by forcing it to witness her, fully and unapologetically, for who she truly is.