The Invaders

When a girl is followed on her way home, she finds herself facing a sinister force threatening her entire existence.

Director's note

The Invaders is my dramatic representation of the Anti- Muslim sentiment that is spreading through the United States and other Western countries. Hateful rhetoric and the promotion of negative stereotypes have sown uncertainty and fear among Muslims living in the West. Muslims have become victims of violence, marginalization and exclusion from social, political and civil life. Muslim women and men have been verbally, and sometimes even physically attacked as attitudes towards them have turned to violent extremes. The Invaders imagines a world in which this hysteria has now been institutionalized, as Jayla, a Muslim girl, runs in fear from agents of an amoral totalitarian government. Although my film addresses a contemporary socio-political issue, it borrows techniques from the horror and science-fiction film genres to punch out Jayla's fear, and the anxiety of her community. Mike Gialloreto, my Director of Photography, and I decided to keep Jayla's pursuers off-screen, until the film's final reveal, in order to engage audiences through suspense. During the first half of the film, the frame almost exclusively shows Jayla, capturing her fear and confusion as she tries to escape an unseen threat. Lighting plays a large role in conveying Jayla's terror as she first flees, and then attempts to hide. Images are kept dark, with harsh beams of light bursting through the windows of Jayla's home, or under doors, representing the approaching menace. This technique combines with a fog creeping into the house and amplified sound to create an almost surreal atmosphere. To make Jayla relatable to broader audiences, and to create an emotional tie, our production and costume designers carefully balanced aspects of Middle-Eastern and American identities in Jayla's wardrobe and her environment. As an immigrant of Middle-Eastern descent who has spent most of her life in this country, Jayla shares both cultures, and thus wears jeans and the sneakers with the traditional Muslim hijab. Actress Isra Elsalihie communicates Jayla's fear and confusion both verbally and non-verbally. When she calls her mother on the phone, she lets her know only that someone is coming for her, without being specific. Isra's performance, and the limited information provided to the audience build tension as the story progresses, thus heightening the satisfaction of the reveal when the masked agents finally enter Jayla's room. Using a supernatural sci-fi tone and a slow-paced eeriness, we have shown where we believe the spread and normalization of Islamophobia might lead. The Invaders shows what might be a not too distant future that has been shaped by a political agenda feeding and seizing upon popular fear and hysteria.