A young struggling Mexican American, Lisa, forms an unlikely friendship with Gulzaar, an elderly Pakistani immigrant who owns a flower shop. Lisa’s worst nightmare becomes real when Gulzaar suddenly disappears and she embarks on a mission to find her friend.
Lisa, a first-generation Mexican American, has just graduated college and is searching for a job in her field. In the meantime, she takes a part-time job at a coffee shop. On her first day, she notices a small flower shop on the corner and exchanges smiles with its elderly Pakistani owner, Gulzaar. After a stressful shift, Lisa heads home but is surprised when Gulzaar gestures for her to step inside. He gifts her a single maroon rose, refusing payment despite their language barrier. This simple gesture sparks an unlikely yet beautiful friendship.
Each day, Lisa waves at Gulzaar as she passes his shop, and every few days, he gifts her another rose. She keeps them in a vase at home, a quiet reminder of his kindness. Meanwhile, Lisa struggles with the pain of her father’s deportation to Mexico. Wanting to give back, she buys a traditional Mexican dessert for Gulzaar. Upon arriving at the flower shop, she witnesses a customer speaking harshly to him over his broken English. Gulzaar looks disheartened, but his face lights up when Lisa presents her gift.
Lisa's world is shaken when ICE agents raid the coffee shop, arresting her colleague, Jose. Overwhelmed, she suffers a panic attack, but a kind stranger helps her through it, showcasing the resilience and unity within the community.
One day, Lisa notices that Gulzaar’s shop is closed. Days pass with no sign of him, and her concern grows. Desperate, she tracks down the shop’s landlord, who initially refuses to help but eventually gives her an address. Lisa follows the lead to a rough neighborhood but finds only silence at Gulzaar’s home. A hesitant neighbor finally tells her where he is.
In the final scene, Lisa arrives at a hospital room, holding a maroon rose—the same flower Gulzaar first gave her. She enters to find him frail, hooked to an EKG machine. As she sits beside him, he slowly removes his oxygen mask, takes the rose, and offers her one final, warm smile.
Rijaa is a storyteller at her core, a filmmaker who uses the lens to explore humanity with precision and soul. Originally from Pakistan, she has spent over a decade crafting narratives that resonate deeply with her audience.
Her work has been aired on screens globally through acclaimed TV networks such as Reelz, Discovery, Cooking Channel, and HGTV. Her recent television directorial work includes powerful episodes of Murder Made Me Famous and Scandal Made Me Famous which tell real-life stories through cinematic journeys. Her previous short narrative films 'Piece of Naan'(based in Pakistan) and 'Meet him at Noon' have garnered acclaim at some of the most prestigious festivals, including Cannes, Kashish Mumbai Film Festival, Pakistan Calling Film Festival, Dallas Video Fest, Los Angeles Lift off Film Festival, Alibag Festival, Texas Women Film Festival and Topaz Film Festival. At Topaz film festival, 'Meet him at Noon' went on to win the audience choice award. Each project reflects her unique ability to translate human emotion into compelling visual art.
Beyond the world of cinema, Rijaa is a visionary in immersive storytelling, bringing brands to life through innovative mediums such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and interactive digital platforms. Her work merges creativity and technology to craft unforgettable narratives, a passion that led her to join the global creative agency AKQA as a producer.
Rijaa's ability to visually display genuine stories has been constant throughout her life and she remains driven to create meaningful content through film and media.
Producer - Lisandra Montes
Post Production Producer - Shahzeb Khalid
