The multiple award-winning Swiss short film «Facing Mecca» by Jan-Eric Mack (production: Joël Jent, Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion, ZHdK, SRF) has been selected for the shortlist of the Oscars in the category Live Action Shorts. This was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on the December 11. The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 23, 2018.
FACING MECCA celebrated its world premiere in June this year at the Palm Springs International ShortFest, where it won two awards: the «Best of the Festival Award» and the «Best Student Live Short Over 15 Minutes». The next milestone in the international career of the Swiss short film was the presentation of the Student Academy Awards in Los Angeles. There, the director received the Silver Medal in the category «Narrative (International Film Schools)». In November, FACING MECCA also received the audience award at the Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.
Jan-Eric Mack, the 34-year-old director from Zurich realized FACING MECCA as a graduation film of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) with Joël Jent from Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion and coproduced it with SRF Swiss Radio and Television as part of the «Pacte de l'audiovisuel». The script was written by actress Anna Schinz in collaboration with Mack.
The film tells the story of a Syrian refugee in Switzerland, who has to deal with bureaucratic hurdles after the death of his wife, and is based on a true story. The main roles are played by the Swiss actor Peter Freiburghaus and the Syrian actor Jay Abdo, who has lived and worked in the USA for several years. Other roles include Nicolas Rosat and Ruth Schwegler.
The shortlist includes ten short films from which the Academy will nominate five short films for the category «Live Action Short Film» on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. The 90th Oscars® will be held on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood. SWISS FILMS supports the Oscar campaign of FACING MECCA financially and in aspects of communication.
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