The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Jan Eric Mack’s FACING MECCA is awarded with this year’s Student Academy Award. The ceremony for the 44th Student Academy Award will be held on October 12 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
With this Award, but also the one the short drama won at the 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest in June, it is eligible for the 90th Academy Awards’ Shortlist.
We thank the Jury for awarding the film and for sending us on this magical journey. We would also like to express very special thanks and gratitude towards our cast, crew and partners for helping us create this wonderful project.

FACING MECCA tells the story of a Swiss pensioner who helps a Syrian refugee to bury his wife according to Muslim rites while fighting against the windmills of Swiss bureaucracy. David Ansen, Film Critic, Writer, and Jury President of the 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest called it a „moving and penetrating film“ and named Jan-Eric Mack a „young filmmaker in total control of his craft“.

The film has been written by Anna Schinz together with director Jan-Eric Mack. Dschoint Ventschr producer Joël Jent headed production in coproduction with ZHdK Zurich University of the Arts and SRF Swiss Radio and Television.
The film has been supported by Swiss Ministry of Culture, Zurich Film Fund, SRF Swiss Radio and Television and the Swiss Regional Fund of Glarus.

After the successful world premiere at the Festival Locarno, we now proudly announce the official trailer of «Welcome to Switzerland».

The cinematic release in the German speaking part of Switzerland is on 19th October.
On the following dates there will be previews at which the director Sabine Gisiger will be present:

Tuesday, 17th October 2017          Zurich, Kosmos
Wednesday, 18th October 2017     Aarau, Kino Ideal
Thursday, 19th October 2017        Zürich, Riffrraff 
Friday, 20th October 2017             Basel, Kult.Kino Camera 
Saturday, 21st October 2017         Baden, Sterk Kino 
Saturday, 21st October 2017         Brugg, Kino Odeon

Katrin Rothe's animated documentary «1917 - The Real October» is currently travelling through Russia very successfully and can be seen at international festivals, but it soon makes a trip to Switzerland again. The International Animation Film Festival Fantoche has selected the film in which the artists of the Russian Revolution are brought to life via cut-out figures for its 15th edition.

The film will be shown on Saturday, 9th (Kino Trafo), and on Sunday, 10th September (Kino Orient), at 14:15. Katrin Rothe will be present at both screenings and is already looking forward to interesting discussions.

Jan Eric Mack’s short film «Facing Mecca» has been selected for two Canadian festivals in September.

The Québec City Film Festival shows the film on September 19 and 22 together with John Carroll Lynch’ drama «Lucky». At Calgary International Film Festival, the short drama is running in the competitive series «Small Victories».

We thank both festivals for the selection and are excited about the outcome of the competition.

«Facing Mecca», the short film directed by Jan-Eric Mack, celebrated its world premiere at the 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest and won two awards at the festival’s closing ceremony on Sunday, June 25.

The film about a Syrian refugee who faces the hardships of Swiss bureaucracy following the death of his wife was named “Best of Festival” and “Best Student Live Action Short Over 15 Minutes”. Winning these awards, the film is eligible for a submission to the 90^th Academy Awards in 2018.

Jan-Eric Mack was present at the ceremony and was accompanied by the co-writer of the film Anna Schinz and the leading actor Jay Abdo.

The ShortFest jury members who selected the awarded films were David Ansen (film critic/PSIFF Lead Programmer), Lindsey Bahr (Associated Press), Kate Bosworth (actress/producer), Ian Durkin (Vimeo), Sam Lansky (Time Magazine), and Heidi Zwicker (Sundance).

Swiss Director Jan-Eric Mack has already won national and international awards for his critically acclaimed short films «Ronaldo» (2010) and «Alfonso» (2013).

For Producer Joël Jent this marks the second year in a row that one of his films have been awarded at Palm Springs after «Bon Voyage», directed by Marc Wilkins, won in 2016 in the category «Best Live Action Short Over 15 Minutes» being later on Academy Awards ShortListed beginning of 2017.

«Facing Mecca» was produced by Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion and coproduced by ZHdK Zurich University of the Arts and SRF Swiss Radio and Television.