Posted by Join host Olivia Lyle (@olivialyle1) for an exclusive conversation with director Lyla Mzayek, whose film The Rain Lady (USA) was nominated for Best Student Short at the 7th Annual Independent Shorts Awards. Recorded by Kyle Reed (@thekylereed).
On The Rain Lady — A Story Between Worlds
Blending live action and animation, The Rain Lady tells the story of Noor, an undocumented Arab immigrant, and her five-year-old daughter Yara. When Noor loses her job due to her status, mother and daughter turn to an imaginative folk tale for strength.
That tale — of a newcomer from the village of song who must use her voice to save a silent village from drought — transforms into an animated sequence, reflecting Noor and Yara’s own search for hope in the face of alienation and silence.
“It’s a story meant to celebrate immigrant mothers and their sacrifices, and to inspire love and light in those who watch it,” Mzayek explained.
A Family Story & Festival Journey
For Mzayek, The Rain Lady is both personal and professional. Inspired by her own family’s experiences, she based the story on her mother and sister — with her sister also serving as the film’s animator. “It became a very full-circle family project,” she shared.
Developed as her thesis project at Chapman University’s Dodge College, the film took about a year to complete, with production condensed into just two weekends. Since then, it has already found recognition on the festival circuit. “Independent Shorts Awards has been fantastic,” Mzayek said. “I’m very grateful.”
A Director Bridging Worlds
Mzayek is a Syrian-American filmmaker, artist, and score composer passionate about bridging Eastern and Western cultural barriers. “I want to explore our shared humanity through fantastical visuals and introspective storytelling,” she said.
Her studies reflect that vision: she recently graduated from Chapman University, where she majored in Film Production with an emphasis in Directing and minored in Film Music, a dual focus that informs the film’s lyrical textures.
Looking Ahead
While The Rain Lady is a self-contained short, Mzayek sees it as part of a bigger path: “It’s my dream to direct a feature about similar subject matter someday. But for now, I’m very happy with where this story is.”
Enjoy the interview below, along with the trailer for The Rain Lady , for a brief glimpse into the film.
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