Experiencing Interruptions?

UMM AL-SIBYAN

Inspired by one of the most enduring folk legends, UMM AL-SIBYAN is a psychological thriller that explores the uncertain boundary between folklore and the human mind.
When fragments of memory, unexplained rituals, childhood trauma, and disturbing visions begin to converge, reality slowly unravels. As fear spreads through an isolated home, every symbol seems to point toward an ancient presence—yet no one can be certain whether it is supernatural or psychological.
Rather than offering answers, the film invites audiences to confront the unsettling space where belief, memory, and perception collide.

  • Shorna Abedin
    Director
  • Shorna Abedin
    Writer
  • Shorna Abedin
    Producer
  • Shorna Abedin
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Web / New Media
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 11, 2026
  • Country of Origin:
    Bangladesh
  • Country of Filming:
    Bangladesh
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Shorna Abedin

Shorna Abedin is an independent filmmaker and visual artist from Bangladesh whose work blends psychological storytelling, symbolism, folklore, and experimental visual language. Her films explore memory, identity, trauma, spirituality, and the fragile boundary between reality and imagination.
Her works have been officially selected at numerous international film festivals, and she continues to develop independent cinema that combines atmospheric visuals with emotionally driven narratives. UMM AL-SIBYAN continues her exploration of folklore as a psychological landscape rather than a supernatural certainty.

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Director Statement

For generations, the name Umm al-Sibyan has appeared in stories whispered across families and communities. Some regard it as folklore, others as superstition, while many simply avoid speaking its name. What interested me was not proving or disproving the legend, but understanding why such stories continue to endure.
UMM AL-SIBYAN is not an attempt to document folklore as historical fact. Instead, it examines how inherited beliefs shape fear, memory, and perception. The film intentionally leaves room for multiple interpretations, allowing viewers to decide whether the events emerge from an external force or from the complexities of the human mind.
Visually, I relied on recurring symbols—red flowers, insects, ritual objects, rain, abandoned spaces, and a crimson moon—to build an emotional landscape where certainty gradually dissolves. Every image functions less as evidence and more as memory.
Ultimately, this film asks a simple question: When a story survives for centuries, what keeps it alive—the truth behind it, or the fear of forgetting it?
— Shorna Abedin