Every year, millions of Muslims embark on the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj. Human Tide follows the deeply personal journeys of six very different families, each with unique reasons for making this once-in-a-lifetime journey, offering an intimate portrait of what Hajj means for each of them.
Synopsis
Every year, one and a half million Muslims from across the world embark on the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj. HUMAN TIDE follows the deeply personal journeys of six groups of pilgrims, each with their own unique reasons for undertaking this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Through their voices, HUMAN TIDE offers an intimate and diverse portrait of the pilgrimage, weaving together stories that begin in distant homes and culminate in Makkah. This powerful documentary reveals both the struggles and the profound transformations sparked by the journey.
Among those we meet are Yousef traveling from Sweden with his aging father Wasim in search of healing from long-term mental health struggles; Naz and Sofiha from London, whose Hajj is put in jeopardy following an unexpected call; Swaleh, a Kenyan group leader coping with the recent loss of his father; Amir and Maryam, a deaf couple from Birmingham striving to overcome barriers of communication and fear, accompanied by Amir's brother Ahmed and his wife Huma, bringing comfort to their journey; Saima and Hamza who await life-changing news and Katumba and Jamirah from Uganda, who yearn for the gift of a child after nine years of waiting.
Filmed with rare access, HUMAN TIDE combines striking cinematic scale with moments of extraordinary intimacy. From the physical challenges of the pilgrimage to the quiet moments of prayer and reflection, the film captures both the overwhelming collective experience and the fragile personal journeys at its heart. The result is a powerful documentary that shines a light on a sacred tradition, while also revealing something universal: the shared human search for meaning, renewal, and belonging.
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Bios
David Ward
Director
David is best known for access-driven storytelling that combines sensitivity with compelling narrative. His credits span investigative true crime, international documentaries, and feature-length films.
He has directed high-profile titles including Babes in the Wood with Sir Trevor McDonald for ITV, The Arab Who Took on the Arctic, Who Killed Billie-Jo? for Paramount+ and Made in the UAE for National Geographic.
His UK work includes the critically lauded documentary My Wife, My Abuser which was number 1 on Netflix for two weeks and created a vital debate about male domestic violence. In addition to his factual experience, David’s work as a commercials director in the U.S. - with campaigns for News 8 and King 5 was recognised with two EMMYS.
John Hay
Producer
John Hay, a two-time EMMY and Berlin Bear award winning director and producer, is CEO of Atticus Film & Television. He began his career at the BBC, where he made several acclaimed films including Autogeddon starring Jeremy Irons (Magnolia, Shanghai), Cause of Death (Golden Gate, San Francisco), and Stig of the Dump, which won him his first EMMY. He went on to produce the British segment of Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard for Fox Searchlight, direct The Steal for Warner Bros., and directed the cult classic There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble for Pathé, which won the Berlin Bear and ten other major awards.
His other directing credits include To Olivia for Sky Cinema and Lost Christmas which was distributed theatrically by Hyde Park ImageNation and won him his second EMMY, the first for the GCC. He also executive produced Babes in the Wood (ITV), Who Killed Billie-Jo (Paramount+) and My Wife, My Abuser (Netflix). Most recently, John directed Willem & Frieda, fronted by Sir Stephen Fry, a film selected by 23 international festivals and honoured with 15 awards worldwide.
Donall McCusker
Producer
Donall McCusker is a highly accomplished producer with a career spanning four decades,more than twenty feature films, and numerous television projects across multiple genres.
He has worked extensively in the UK and internationally, with significant experience in the Middle East, including ten feature films shot wholly or partly in Jordan. Among these wasKathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, which Donall co-produced. The film went on to win sixAcademy Awards including Best Picture as well as six BAFTAs and numerous other honours.
Following his success in Jordan, Donall founded Mena Film to service international productions in the region, later expanding operations into Saudi Arabia. His credits span the United States,Morocco, Hungary, Kosovo, Spain, and Kenya, with additional projects developed in Malta,South Africa, and Tanzania.
In recent years, with the arrival of children, Donall has shifted focus towards UK-based productions. Notably, he produced To Olivia, directed by John Hay and starring Hugh Bonneville and Keeley Hawes.
Beyond his production work, Donall has served as Chairman of the Production Managers Association, contributed to the drafting committee for the British Standard on Sustainability inthe Film Industry, and remains an active member of both the UK Production Guild and BAFTA.
Abdulrahman Alkheraigi
Executive Producer
Abdulrahman Alkheraigi is a communications advisor and storyteller with more than 25 years’ experience working across government, corporate, and international organisations.
He currently serves as International Communications adviser to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah where he plays a key role in shaping global understanding of the pilgrimage within the framework Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Previously, Abdulrahman led communications at OPEC and the OPEC Fund in Vienna and has since held senior roles across the Gulf and beyond.
As a PhD graduate in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison he brings both academic rigor and practical experience to his mission of fostering cross-cultural understanding through dialogue and narrative.
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