Za3lana – The First 3D Animated Music Video in the Middle Ea

Title: Za3lana
Artist: Ahmed Basyoni & Hussein Gamal
Production: Panic Later & Gemini Studio

Za3lana is the Middle East’s first fully 3D animated music video—an emotional, surreal journey through heartbreak, memory, and rebirth. Told through the eyes of an animated character navigating a dreamy, glitchy Cairo-scape, the video blends humor, heartbreak, and imagination into a visually stunning ride. Directed by Oracle Ostraca (Muhammad Mostafa), animated by Meena Ibrahim, and sound designed by a stellar team of rising regional talent, Za3lana redefines what it means to tell personal stories through music and motion. The project was a collaboration between Panic Later, a Cairo-based creative powerhouse, and Gemini Studio, bringing together a visionary collective of designers, animators, directors, and producers. The music—a mix of melancholic Arabic lyricism and experimental electronic textures—was composed by Ahmed Basyoni and Hussein Gamal. It’s cheeky, raw, and deeply human. This entry isn’t just a music video—it’s a statement about what’s possible when local stories are told with global ambition.