Love, Imagined

Sarah Rozik's 2025 Egyptian film follows Youssef, a university lecturer living a quiet life. The arrival of his student Warda upsets that order; as she tries to repair her own relationship, Youssef comes between them. The subject is the imagined and the real failing to separate. Youssef completes what he sees with his own invention; the narrative leaves it unclear which scenes actually happened and confines the viewer to his view. Ahmed Salah ElSaadany and Mayan ElSayed lead. It is the director's first feature; the narrative is slow and the spaces narrow. The tone is kept uncomfortable and the lecturer's position is questioned. Who it's for: those who like Egyptian independent cinema and psychological drama. Who it's not for: viewers for whom the imbalance of power between teacher and student would sit heavily.