SAND CITY is a lyrical and atmospheric exploration of isolation, the human need for connection, and the small acts of survival that bind us to the world. In this arthouse experimental film, director Mahde Hasan explores Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the landscape and its inhabitants share a profound connection: sand.

The main characters, Emma and Hasan, have parallel lives that intersect through their solitude, urban alienation, dysfunction, and the strange things they need to survive in this metropolitan wilderness. Emma is searching for sand for her cat’s litter, while Hasan needs it to support his glass business. The sand and the city, for their part, are shifting, uncertain entities hiding a multitude of secrets.

We’re introduced to the metropolis, captured in all its raw, unvarnished beauty through the vibrant yet subdued grainy, textured composition of French cinematographer Mathieu Giombini. He paints a moody, gritty, and beautiful picture of Dhaka—not just of a place, but of a living, breathing entity in permanent construction. The city feels as much a part of the story as the characters themselves, reflecting the loneliness, frustration, and struggles of its people.