In director Sarah Mokh’s Cigarettes, Nora (Nada Shehata) encounters Ali (Laith Nakli) at a gas station asking for cigarettes, and her choice to buy them for him leads them to an important moment of connection that speaks to where they both are in life and how they relate to each other.
Awards Buzz spoke with Mokh, Shehata, and Nakli about Mokh’s inspiration for the project and what drew Shehata and Nakli in to participate. Watch the video above to hear their enthusiasm for telling an Arab-American story about everyday people with normal problems not specific to their culture.
Cigarettes makes its US premiere as part of the Independent TV Pilot Competition at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival.
