Filmmaker Statement

This film is incredibly precious to me. It is a story that is deeply personal, inspired by my own struggle to reconcile grief and faith. How do we move on when we have lost someone and our very conception of life has been destroyed? How do we move on when there is a hole in our heart, when reality has been unknit? AYAT, an Arabic word which translates to “verses” or "signs", tells the story of Adil (Laith Nakli), an Islamic Sunday School teacher, who is grieving the loss of his son. Adil has always been a devout Muslim and has understood his religion through the many stories and verses from the Quran. But when he returns home from the mosque one day, he slowly discovers that he is losing his grip on reality, and the faith he held onto no longer seems to be holding him. This film is a small moment in Adil's journey to find his light because sometimes, all we need is just one sign to keep us going, just some semblance of hope.