36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime

On February 10, 2015, UNC students Deah Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha were eating dinner in their home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina when they were killed by their neighbor Craig Hicks in 36 seconds. Before their families can grieve, they are forced to become activists to set the record straight — that these killings were a hate crime.

36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime charts the families' agonizing overnight pivot from trauma to advocacy as they struggle to prevent their loved ones' deaths from being dismissed as the result of a random parking dispute as Hicks originally claimed, and local law enforcement and national media quickly parroted.  They courageously speak the truth about the hate crime that destroyed their lives, the overtly insidious ways racism plays out in our society, and about the need to reform a hate crime system that is broken.

The film also delves into the history of hate crime law in the US, and explores how it remains unevenly replied and significantly under-reported. Also explored is the lived experience of Muslim Americans following 9/11, and the resurgence of Islamophobia that came with the 2016 Trump campaign, and subsequent administration.  

Featuring exclusive, unfettered access to the principal figures of this tragic event, 36 Seconds offers a poignant reflection on the challenges faced by the Muslim community in contemporary America, and emphasizes the pressing need for social change in addressing hate crimes and discrimination. It is a project about perseverance and the will to fight for the truth in even the worst of circumstances.

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FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "On Feb 10, 2015, my phone lit up with devastating texts: three killed... students in Chapel Hill... Muslim Americans. The news spilled out in fragments culminating with the terrifying word, 'execution.' I had grown up in a tight-knit Muslim-American community in North Carolina and worried that the victims might be friends or even family. Desperate for answers, I reached out. It turned out my cousin Haytham knew one of the victims and had been in touch with him that morning, the day of his murder. Haytham was crushed. I was outraged, but not at all surprised.

Over the ensuing months, I watched the Abu-Salha and Barakat families struggle to convince the authorities to investigate the murders as a hate crime. Whether on the news or in front of thousands of grieving supporters, they were stoic, articulate and brave. I was deeply moved by their dignity in the face of so much pain. I was spurred to act and decided to use the skills I had honed over twelve years working in film and television to document their unfolding story. At that moment, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It took us eight years to produce 36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime. The journey was tough but incredibly rewarding. Honoring their families through this work has had a profound impact on my life. Their legacy continues to inspire and educate people around the world.”