There is a shot of a copy of the Qur’an closed on a desk late in Saif Jaan and Radha Mehta’s Witness, and we can see numerous post-its sticking out of the side. These, no doubt, are marked for passages used in prayer or simply for reference when a congregant needs some guidance. Some people who hold their faith close to them are occasionally too concerned with a holy word and do not see the person right in front of them. Jaan and Mehta’s film is quietly urgent.
Imam Mustafa is overseeing a wedding at his masjid, but the engaged couple is missing a second male chaperone. He steps into the kitchen in the back and finds Shams, a Tilawa teacher and friend of his daughter, Miral. Shams is quiet but sweet, and even though he seems reluctant to sit in at first, you can see the smile on his face grow when he can participate in another couple’s nuptials. We then understand Shams’ initial reluctance when Mustafa and Saleem, the groom, later talk about how Saleem is an endocrinologist and deals with “hormonal imbalances.” Shams may have recognized him at the clinic where Saleem works, because he is transgender.
I couldn’t help but think about Shams’ own faith. A lot of anger bubbles up from several characters, and they expel that frustration out on each other. Shams’ devotion to a higher power is the reason why he has the strength to live his life authentically, and Jaan and Mehta avoid cliches and melodrama by honing in on Shams’ love of his work at the masjid. Witness isn’t a story of how faith is tested as much as it is about tolerance and loving your fellow man. I have always thought that religion (of all kinds) should be about protecting the most vulnerable in order to broaden a sense of communal love.
Mustafa is a respected member in his community, and you can tell that many turn to his guidance when they are in need. I couldn’t help but think about the difference between older and younger people. One group can learn from years of experience while the other can note how the world is changing. As trans rights are being threatened day after day all around the world (122 anti-trans laws have passed in the United States in 2025 alone…), Witness begs the audience to extend its understanding.
Witness will play part of the Drama Shorts program at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema on Sunday, August 5. It will also stream online beginning October 6.
