IF BIRDS BELIEVED IN GOD

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY

SAMER SAIFAN

Political - Psychological Drama Short Film (2025)

MADE IN ASSOCIATION WITH NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Close-up of a man's face with a keffiyeh, featuring text: 'If Birds Believed in God,' a Samer Saifan film title and credits. Text also in Arabic.

A Palestinian man strives to be a photographer in New York City, but experiences surreal psychological visions as he struggles with generational trauma.

The story follows a day in the life of Ismail, a Palestinian photographer whose American upbringing was shaped by his grandfather’s displacement during the 1948 Palestine Nakba. When Ismail’s mother gifts him his grandfather’s keffiyeh—a traditional Palestinian scarf—it triggers an internal struggle between shame and pride in his cultural identity, all unfolding against the ominous backdrop of rising violence against Palestinians.

A person sitting alone on a sandy beach facing the ocean, under a partly cloudy sky.
Close-up of a man with wet hair and a keffiyeh scarf around his neck, looking into the distance with a concerned expression, outdoors under cloudy sky.
A boy sitting on the beach holding a red rose with the ocean in the background, looking at the camera with a serious expression.
Close-up of a man with brown hair and stubble, wearing a black jacket and a black-and-white keffiyeh scarf, looking to the left outdoors against a cloudy sky.
Person with a camera on a tripod taking a photo outdoors in a garden with trees and flowers.
A man with brown hair takes a photograph outdoors with a vintage camera, focusing intently.
Large black and white advertisement featuring a woman with dark hair and lipstick, holding a clutch bag, on the side of a modern glass building. Pedestrians and a person riding a bicycle are visible in the foreground.
A man with dark hair and wearing a plaid jacket is sitting outdoors, resting his face on his hand, looking to the side with a thoughtful expression, in black and white.
A black and white photo of a woman with a child sitting on her shoulders, both reflected in a glass surface with visible scratches and tears, and a person sitting on the ground in the foreground.
Black and white photo of men sitting in an audience at a formal event, dressed in suits and ties, attentively listening.
Close-up of a man with a cigarette in his mouth, smoking with a contemplative expression.
A person wearing a white tank top leaning on a balcony railing, overlooking a cityscape under a cloudy sky at dusk.
A close-up profile of a man with brown hair, light stubble, wearing a gray jacket, outdoors on a cloudy day, with trees blurred in the background.
Close-up of a woman with dark hair, wearing a black top and a white and red patterned scarf, outdoors with blurred trees in the background.
Wall decorated with black and white photographs, a Palestinian flag, and artwork. Desk with a vintage film camera, a small TV, books, and a birdcage with birds inside.
Close-up of a man with freckles and wavy brown hair wearing a white sleeveless shirt, looking over his shoulder in a softly lit room with a green couch in the background.
Close-up of a man with dark hair and a five o'clock shadow, wearing a blue denim shirt, looking down with a serious expression.
Close-up of a man with dark hair and fair skin, looking slightly downward and to the side, with a serious expression.
Two men shaking hands in a modern office with large windows, a table, chairs, and a laptop. The phrase "LIVE THE PRO" is partially visible on the wall.
Person with short hair wearing a sleeveless shirt looking at a collage of black and white photographs on a wall, illuminated by a red light.
Close-up of a man's face illuminated by red light, with somber expression, stubble, and dark hair, against a dark background.
Young boy with short hair and a neutral expression wearing a sleeveless shirt standing in front of a red background.
A person sitting on the floor, seen from behind, surrounded by photos and postcards spread out on a striped rug in a dimly lit room
A dining room with a group of five people sitting around a table, illuminated by chandeliers and warm lighting, with ornate curtains and traditional decor.
Close-up of a man with slicked-back brown hair, light stubble, wearing a brown jacket with black leather accents on the shoulders, looking thoughtfully to the side in a dimly lit room.
Hands unpacking a zebra-patterned fabric from a wooden box.
A woman with dark curly hair wearing a cream blouse sitting at a dining table with lit candles, in a room decorated with black banners and family photos on the wall.
A piece of food with shredded topping on a white plate, lit candle in the middle, and a person’s hand in the background.
A young man wearing a black beanie and a beige T-shirt sitting at a dinner table with a glass of dark liquid in front of him, smiling softly, in a room with warm lighting and patterned curtains.
A middle-aged man with a gray beard and bald head, wearing a dark shirt, sitting on a carved wooden chair in front of a patterned curtain or wallpaper.
Close-up of a middle-aged man with a beard and short hair, looking slightly to the side, with a serious expression
A man with slicked-back hair and light facial hair wearing a brown jacket with leather accents looks downward with a serious expression in a dimly lit room. Behind him is a window made of glass blocks, and to his left, a wooden wall with a decorative
Two men embrace each other in a cozy, warmly lit living room surrounded by plants and antique decor.
A framed vintage black-and-white photograph of a young man with curly hair and a collared shirt, placed on a wooden surface with decorative metal objects nearby.
A close-up of an elderly man with gray hair and a beard, looking at a piece of paper with a serious expression, standing in front of a framed landscape painting.
A person holding a handwritten letter in Arabic script, with their left hand gripping the top and right hand holding the bottom of the letter, sitting on a fabric surface.
Close-up of a man with wet hair and a serious expression, sitting in a dimly lit room.
A man wearing a beanie and gaming headset with a microphone, looking thoughtfully to the side, against a plain wall backdrop.
A teenage boy and an adult man sitting against a wall in a dimly lit room, with the boy wearing a beanie and a T-shirt featuring a graphic with the words 'HEAT FARM,' and the man wearing a jacket over a white shirt, both appearing contemplative.
A close-up of a middle-aged man with gray hair and beard, looking over his shoulder in a dimly lit room, with a woman with curly hair partially visible in the background.
A man looking through vertical metal bars, in a dimly lit environment
A young man wearing a brown beanie, gray T-shirt with a graphic, and gold chain with a pendant, looking upwards with a serious expression inside a room with shelves and posters.
A man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a black jacket, is looking to the side in a dimly lit room. He is sitting near a wooden piece of furniture, with paintings on the wall behind him.
Person with short curly hair resting their head on their arm, appears to be deep in thought, outdoors during twilight or evening.
A man in a white tank top is angrily hitting a punching bag during a workout, with sunlight streaming through a window behind him.
Person covering their face with their hands in a dimly lit room
Nighttime scene of a large wildfire with flames and thick black smoke.
A man with short brown hair and a sleeveless white shirt sitting on a rooftop at dusk, with a city skyline in the background.
Two people sitting together on a balcony during twilight, with the man on the right wearing a keffiyeh scarf and smiling, while the person on the left has short hair and is facing away from the camera, with a cityscape in the background.
Close-up side profile of a man with curly hair and glasses, wearing a patterned shirt, in a warm backlit environment.
Close-up of a young man wearing a black jacket and a black-and-white patterned scarf, looking down, with a blurred cityscape and a blue sky with clouds in the background.
A person with dark hair wearing a dark coat and a striped scarf walking on a sandy beach by the ocean, facing away from the camera, with partly cloudy sky overhead.
A man with short brown hair and a slight beard looks off to the side against a pale sky background
A man with light skin, short blonde hair, wearing a white sleeveless shirt, looking downward with a serious expression in a dark room.
Black and white historical portrait of a bearded man dressed in robes, wearing a pointed hat and ornate medals, sitting next to an elaborately carved table with small decorative statues and objects.
A young girl sitting on the ground playing a flute, with a flock of sheep behind her on a hillside landscape.
Black and white portrait of a man with a mustache wearing a suit and tie, against a plain background.
A black-and-white photograph of a large group of people, including soldiers and civilians, gathered around a person carrying a large wooden cross, in a narrow alleyway with stone walls.
A black and white historical photograph depicting a wedding scene, with a couple in the center holding hands and raising a dove in the air. The bride is wearing a dress with a headscarf or tiara, and the groom is dressed in a suit. Several women in t
A close-up of a young man's face at night, with intense expression and bright blue eyes, wearing a shirt with a hexagon pattern.
Close-up of a person's face, focusing on their blue eyes, with reflective surfaces in the pupils.
A red rose lying on the ground with a shadow cast on the textured surface, against a dark background.

Written and Directed by:

SAMER SAIFAN

Produced by:

NATALIA HESS

DARREN ZENG

SAMER SAIFAN

Director of Photography:

ANDREW LIN

Starring:

ADAM BUDRON

NASSER FARIS

VERACITY BUTCHER

JADE ZIANE

LEYLA MODIRZADEH

EYAS ELKHATEEB

RON FALLICA

MARTIN PFEFFERKORN

Ismail

Muhammad

Leila

Khalid

Farha

Young Boy

INTERVIEWER

Man on Street

Assistant Director:

Co Producer:

Script Supervisor:

Production Designer:

Art Assistant:

Casting:

SFX Make Up:

Ismail Costume Designer:

NIDA FARHOUD

ADAM BUDRON

SABINA MASCHI

MAYA ALZABEN

DONG HUIMIN

ANDREW DAHREDDINE

AVA SEXTON

BLAKE HARDY

1st Assistant Camera:

2nd Assistant Camera:

Gaffer:

Key Grip:

Grip:

HUGO BOUCARD

KELLY WANG

HIPPOLYTE CHARLUT

MARLO IRANI

VINCENT LE CHAFFOTEC

ROMAIN MENEGON

THIBAULT LEBOEUF

SIYU REN

CANKAT GUENEL

JEFFERSON ROSA

OTAR BREGVADZE

SAMER SAIFAN

Original Music Score:

Color:

Re-Recording Mixer:

Editor:

JENNIFER FANG

AMINA HAMAWY

Sound Mixer:

RIEL LEWIS

JONATHAN SILVERMAN

Boom Operator:

JACOB MICHAEL DEAN

ROY GE

ANDREA NGUYEN

OLIVIA HART

KELLY WANG

Truck Drivers:

Bird Wrangler:

Animal Safety Rep:

BTS Photos:

DAVID ROSFELD

HAFEZ & ADALAH HAFEZ

NIDAL & AMANI BARAKAT

THAER & FATEN MAHMOUD

Special Thanks to:

This film was made possible through the assistance of a grant from the Chris Columbus Film Production Fund and produced at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television.

Logos for New York University, ARRI, SAG-AFTRA, Atlas Lens Co., Greenwood Cinema Rentals, and American Humane Certified (No Animals Were Harmed).