DER IMKER
THE BEEKEEPER
Mano Khalil / Switzerland / 2013 / 107 min / Colour
In his land, Turkish Kurdistan, Ibrahim Gezer has lost everything to the war: his wife, two of his children, and more than 500 bee colonies that were his means of subsistence. Retreating to the mountains after a long period of deprivation, the only thing that remains for him is his love of the bees and his unwavering faith in human rights. In Switzerland, between the difficulties of factory work and awaiting retirement, Ibrahim can return to beekeeping.
Remembering the suff ering endured because of the war and nostalgia for his mountains,
in his bees Ibrahim fi nds a new reason for living.
Mano Khalil
Khalil was born in Kamishly, in Syrian Kurdistan, and studied history and law at the University of Damascus and directing at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. After working for Czech and Slovakian television, he moved to Switzerland in 1996 where he now lives and works as a director and independent producer. In 2013 his documentary Der Imker won the Lessinia d’Argento.
Credits
Screenplay Mano KhalilEditing Thomas BachmannMusic Weli Cici Mario BatkovicProduction company Frame Film