Facing Mecca
Kiev Molodist 2018
Saguenay 2018
Best Short Film Swiss Film Award 2018
Best Student Live Action Short & Best of the Festival Award Palm Spring International ShortFest 2017
ZHB Publikumspreis Winterthur 2021
Facing Mecca
CH 2017 25'
Director: Jan-Eric Mack
Script: Anna Schinz, Jan-Eric Mack
Camera: Jan Mettler
Sound: Christian Schäppi
Costumes:: Irene Schweizer
Editing:: Luisa Ricar, Simon Gutknecht
Music:: Dimitri Käch
Production:: Joel Jent, Dschoint Ventschr
With: Peter Freiburghaus, Jay Abdo, Ruth Schwegler, Nicolas Rosat, Saya Ibrahim, Merav Ibrahim
Pass:Facing Mecca (CH)
1080p,720p,540p Arabic,English,Schweizerdeutsch ST Deutsch
Pass:Facing Mecca (D)
1080p,720p,540p Arabic,English,Schweizerdeutsch ST Deutsch
Pass:Facing Mecca (F)
1080p,720p,540p Arabic,English,Schweizerdeutsch ST Français
Pass:Facing Mecca (E)
1080p,720p,540p Arabic,English,Schweizerdeutsch ST English
Fareed is called to the hospital, his wife is in critical condition. Her cancer has reached the final stage. Pensioner Roli steps in and helps the Syrian refugee get to the hospital. But Fareed's wife dies shortly afterwards. The Amrikon municipality is obliged to take care of the funeral. Fareed wants to bury his wife according to Muslim custom.
Roli gets involved with Fareed and his daughters. But there are problems: The grave fields of Amrikon are not aligned with Mecca, and burial within the 24-hour period after death cannot be observed either. Thomas Künzli, the mayor of the municipality, puts everyone off until the following week.
Roli does not let the municipality's delaying tactics stand and finds a creative solution on his own: a family grave in which the body can be buried diagonally. But even family graves are exhumed after 25 years and reallocated. An absolute taboo for Muslims, because the peace of the dead must not be disturbed.
The only alternative is to return the body to Syria. But Syria is no more. The coffin is therefore to be flown to Beirut. But Fareed would have liked to bury his wife nearby so that he could visit the grave. Another shock for Roli and Fareed is the high cost of the transfer. But the municipality wants to pay. Not least to get rid of the problem.
But Roli does not give up that easily: He has a plan. An empty coffin flies to Beirut. The family remains united. Provided Faered and his daughters are allowed to stay in Switzerland...