India/Canada
‘Johari Window’ to Have World Premiere at IFFSA Toronto on October 15: Johari Window, an English-language psychological thriller and science-fiction short film, is set to have its world premiere at the International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) Toronto on October 15, 2026.
Presented by Black Book Media Global in association with Aflaam Media, the 12-minute-42-second film is directed by Ozair Abdul Aleem and Saad Ahmed Khan.
The film follows a man who survives a devastating car accident and awakens to what appears to be his normal life. As he settles back into familiar surroundings, routine and care, unexplained lapses and sudden jumps in time begin to disrupt his perception of reality.
A Journey Between Reality and Illusion
According to the film’s synopsis, Johari Window explores the increasingly blurred boundaries between healing and illusion, reality and the mind’s inner world.
The story uses psychological uncertainty and science-fiction elements to examine the protagonist’s changing relationship with time, space and memory. What initially appears to be an ordinary return to life following an accident gradually becomes an unsettling experience in which the distinction between what is real and what exists within the mind becomes increasingly difficult to determine.
The film’s official logline describes the central premise: after a devastating car accident, a man awakens to what seems to be his normal life, until strange lapses and time jumps begin to unravel his sense of time, space and memory.
International Festival Premiere
The film’s world premiere at IFFSA Toronto on October 15, 2026, will mark its first public festival screening.
With its combination of psychological drama and science fiction, Johari Window is positioned as an introspective short-form film centered on memory, perception and the human mind.
Creative Team
Johari Window features a creative team led by directors Ozair Abdul Aleem and Saad Ahmed Khan. The story is by Ozair Abdul Aleem, while the screenplay is written by Ozair Abdul Aleem and Tanya Das.
The film is produced by Nabeel Abdul Aleem and Abdullah Bin Nabeel, with Prataya Saha serving as Creative Producer.
Ankush Deva serves as cinematographer, while Raghuraman Ramasubramanian handles music and sound effects. Naseef Izzuddun is credited for editing and colour.
‘Johari Window’ — At a Glance
- Title: Johari Window
- Genre: Psychological Thriller / Science Fiction
- Duration: 12 minutes, 42 seconds
- Language: English
- Directors: Ozair Abdul Aleem & Saad Ahmed Khan
- Story: Ozair Abdul Aleem
- Screenplay: Ozair Abdul Aleem & Tanya Das
- Producers: Nabeel Abdul Aleem & Abdullah Bin Nabeel
- Creative Producer: Prataya Saha
- Cinematography: Ankush Deva
- Music & SFX: Raghuraman Ramasubramanian
- Edit & Colour: Naseef Izzuddun
- World Premiere: IFFSA Toronto
- Premiere Date: October 15, 2026
With its focus on fractured memory, shifting perceptions and the uncertain boundary between reality and illusion, Johari Window arrives at IFFSA Toronto as a compact psychological science-fiction film built around a mystery that unfolds inside the protagonist’s own experience.
