Last night at SIFF Cinema Uptown I watched Sirat, and it’s one of those films that doesn’t just tell a story, it pulls you into a state of mind.
Directed by Oliver Laxe, the film follows a father and son crossing a vast desert in search of someone they’ve lost. On the surface, it’s a simple journey. But the deeper it goes, the more it becomes something else entirely, a quiet meditation on grief, faith, and the kind of endurance that doesn’t come from strength, but from necessity. What stayed with me most is the atmosphere. The landscapes feel endless, almost overwhelming, and the silence carries as much weight as the dialogue. Every step forward feels intentional, like the film is asking you to slow down and really sit with what these characters are carrying.
Watching it at SIFF made it even more powerful. The room was completely still, like everyone understood this wasn’t a film you watch casually, it’s one you experience. It’s not loud, it’s not fast, but it lingers in a way that’s hard to shake.
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