Manizja Kouhestani

Manizja Kouhestani graduated in 2025 from KASK drama, the Ghent-based course for theatre makers and performers. Her master’s project, My Nemesis, which she co-created with fellow performer Fiene Zasada, was selected for the Jong Werk programme at Theater Aan Zee 2025 and awarded the Horlait-Dapsens Prize. Kouhestani has also appeared in productions by tg STAN, De Roovers, De Warme Winkel, Dood Paard, Thomas Bellinck & Said Reza Adib, and Atta Nasser.

For Kouhestani, a new project rarely begins with a form, but rather with a question, an image or a sentence. My Nemesis explores jealousy between women, but also the glorification of trauma within the arts. The production addresses identity politics and its commercialisation, the framing of female artists, and the battle over who is actually the better feminist. Kouhestani consistently creates profound theatre rooted in a deep personal commitment.