Der Imker – A Passion for Bees and Switzerland (Review)

Story

"Der Imker" is the moving story of a Kurdish beekeeper’s fate. Ibrahim Gezer lost everything in the turmoil of the Turkish-Kurdish war: His wife and children, his homeland and - with the loss of over 500 colonies of bees - also his livelihood. The only thing remaining is his love of bees and his unwavering trust in individual human beings, regardless of origin.

Following a long odyssey fraught with deprivation, the beekeeper finds a way back to his passion in Switzerland.

Stars

Mano Khalil's documentary on Ibrahim Gezer is very personal, at times even intimate. No stars, but a very special, very interesting character that shows how immigrants are treated by the Swiss authorities.

Style

The key to this Swiss documentary is simplicity. No special effects or musical highlights were used, but rather a "down to earth" approach.

Cinemani Vote

Unlike the other successful Swiss documentary "More than Honey", this movie does not focus on the bees, but rather their keeper. Although there are a few lenghty parts in the middle of the movie, it is a good example of the integration of a foreigner in Switzerland - with all the ups and downs. Finally, the fact that bee stings are actually healthy against rheumatic back pain is really something new!

Now playing in Swiss cinemas