The Waiting Room (aka I Didn't See God)

A nun struggles with her faith after briefly flatlining and coming back to life having seen nothing in death (particularly... God).

  • Jahaad Shairi
    Director
  • Jahaad Shairi
    Writer
  • Kelly Weber
    Producer
  • Jahaad Shairi
    Producer
  • Lily Mercovich
    Director of Photography
  • Olivia Choma
    Key Cast
    "Sister Beatriz"
  • Davida Bloom
    Key Cast
    "Mother Argyle"
  • Gloria Comes
    Key Cast
    "Sister Fionnuala"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, faith
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 10 seconds
  • Production Budget:
    1,300 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    18:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Rochester Institute of Technology
Director Biography - Jahaad Shairi

Jahaad is a senior studying directing at RIT in his hometown of Rochester, NY. Throughout his studies he has directed various narrative pieces of differing genres and styles, taking his time to experiment with the medium and develop his cinematic identity.
His passion for film lies in it's transcending capabilities to expose us to fantastical experiences, individuals and circumstances that expand our conscious beliefs of the world we take part in.

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Director Statement

“The Waiting Room” explores our need to definitively answer the unanswerable - and asks us to have grace in living in the spiritually ambiguous. Whatever the truth is, divine or scientific, it is impossible for the human brain to fully perceive and encapsulate. We restrict ourselves by subscribing to definitive polarities rather than endeavoring in our imaginations and allowing our perspectives to grow and shift.

This film is more about a sister’s journey towards reconnecting with her faith in a new light after a period of doubt rather than it is an indictment of religion or an overly dramatic, dark, edgy film about a nun losing her faith.

We’re entering a revived, and arguably new, age of spirituality - with many people across the globe adopting their own traditions of faith. It’s important to show that faith has many faces and can be experienced in many ways. What happens when that faith is tested? What happens when that faith comes into question? How do we reconcile with that - with things not being as concrete as we’d like to think? I’m happy to show the perseverance of the human spirit; that even when that faith shutters, there’s something intrinsically good or well intended within us.

I needed to work on a project that I felt I could pour my everything into and that I felt would give back to me. This project has done that for me. It’s continually given me both a present and pleasant challenge and been a joy to work through - revealing things deeper within myself.