I’ll be taking part in Sleep Out night in Belfast on 23 November to help raise money for MACS Supporting homeless Children and Young People. Please support me if you can at: justgiving.com/page/zhenia-ma… ❤️

The image is from Ode to Gaia (2023), a film I made in collaboration with some amazing women for DU Dance with original music score by Hannah Harvey, screening at this event.

Delighted to present at this year’s Irish Screen Studies Seminar in May, my PhD research into the phenomenology of peak-experience and flow states through the practice of embodied Screendance filmmaking.

In ‘Beyond Flow’ the blurred form of the performer, shrouded in darkness portrays her presence beyond her concrete form and suggests the possibility of the presence of less tangible states. It is a visual metaphor for crossing the thresholds in consciousness into flow states.

Really looking forward to presenting my paper today at Irish Screen Studies Seminar 2024, on ‘A phenomenological investigation of peak-experience and flow states through a practice of embodied Screendance filmmaking’ Irish Screen Studies

Day 2 of the Irish Screen Studies Seminar features plenaries on horror and immersive filmmaking, an opportunity to experience a digital dome performance with 360° projection, a roundtable session, and a drinks reception dedicated to Professor Martin McLoone 🥂

Really delighted with the positive responses to my presentation at the Irish Screen Studies. Well organised & welcoming event with some very interesting papers and talks. Looking forward to next year’s ISSS which will be back in the south.

Short demo performance before presenting my paper at Irish Screen Studies Seminar yesterday #irishscreenstudiesseminar Irish Screen Studies

Another session of creative experimentation with the amazing Maeve McCreevy

Exciting experiments and new possibilities instagram.com/p/C7o8piEN08_/…

As part of my Ph.D. research I’m holding an embodied filmmaking workshop in July. The workshop will be held in a studio space in Belfast, NI. For more information/to take part, please email at [email protected]

Really looking forward to hearing the director Asif Kapadia. Senna and Amy are among his amazing films.

A great event in Belfast, conversation with the absolutely brilliant and most engaging Asif Kapadia

Stills from rehearing for our Expanded Screendance project and residency to develop it at the wonderful The Tyrone Guthrie Centre in July, made possible with kind support by @artscouncilni Film and images by ©Zhenia Mahdi @zheniamahdi Performance by Maeve McCreevy @maevecaitriona

So looking forward to presenting my research on Peak and Flow states in creative experiences of Embodied Screendance Filmmaking, at the international Film-Philosophy Conference in Malta next week. @film_philosophy_2025 Film-Philosophy @filmphilosophyjournal

Presenting at Film Philosophy Conference 2025 in Malta was a fantastic experience! Such a warm and welcoming conference with so many insightful papers and scholars from countries around the world. @film_philosophy_2025 Film-Philosophy

First day of our residency at the beautiful Tyrone Gutherie Centre. Using a particular method I've been working on, using projections, no filters or editing. Film & concept: Zhenia Mahdi-Nau Performance: Maeve McCreevy Poetry: Sara Shine @artscouncilni The Tyrone Guthrie Centre

A few stills from the second day of residency. More creative experiments, more surprises, more wonder. Film & concept: Zhenia Mahdi-Nau Performance: Maeve McCreevy Poetry: Sara Shine @artscouncilni The Tyrone Guthrie Centre

A few more stills from the second day of residency. Concept, direction, camera Zhenia Mahdi Choreography & performance Maeve McGreevy Poetry Sara Shine @tyronegutheriecentre @artscouncilni