Rahaf Ataya

Forced to leave Syria because of the war, Dounia and her grandparents go in search of a new safe haven. As she traverses the world in search of asylum, Dounia draws strength from the wisdom of the ancient world, brought to light by her grandmother's magic nigella seeds.

A lone gunman perched on a rooftop grows bored while awaiting his next victim. A mother records a video for an audition for a televised singing competition. A young girl carries water containers and must cross a dangerous area before nightfall. Distant explosions echo, nothing alarming. Time stands still, allowing the three figures to find refuge in their luminous dreams. The sun will set soon, carrying them away. Rituals Under a Scarlet Sky tells the tale of a daily life where hope survives despite the tragedy that attempts to engulf it.

Now settled, Dounia and her grandparents slowly get to know Canada, the new home that welcomed them: its intense seasons, its special foods, its languages (three and counting!). Dounia’s grandparents are sure to keep their Syrian traditions alive at home, while her new friends share traditions of their own, like Rosalie’s French-Canadian lifestyle or Miguizou’s vast indigenous folklore. So while she still misses her dad who stayed back in Aleppo, Dounia now has new ways to keep him with her. It’s when Kukum, Miguizo’s grandmother, teaches Dounia to call her father with all of her heart, that he just might find his way back to her.

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