Part of New York Shorts International Film Festival 2026

Halal Cart Dreams plunges audiences into the claustrophobic, high-stakes ecosystem of New York City’s street food vendors, a world where immigrant hustle collides with systemic exploitation. The film follows Omar, an Egyptian immigrant pushed to the absolute brink. Desperate to marry his girlfriend and escape the grueling reality of the cart, Omar accidentally surrenders his hard-earned savings to "The Basha," a feared, unseen neighborhood extortionist.

United States / Drama / 13 mins

Director: Amer J Hanini

Writer: Amer J Hanini, Aymann Ismail

Producer: Amer J Hanini, Chris Omar, Anthony Carvello

Cast: Fady Demain, Akram Basuni, Misk Al Sultan