Journey of Hope (film)

• Necmettin COBANOGLU: Haydar Sener
• Emin Sivas: Mehmet Ali
• Yaman Okay Turkmen
• Erdinc Akbas: Adama
• Mathias Gnädinger: Ramser
• Dietmar Schönherr: Massimo
• Andrea Zogg: Christians
• Erdal Merdan: Aldemir

The Journey of Hope ( Alternative title journey of hope; Turkish title Umud'a yolculuk ). 's A Swiss film drama of 1990 Xavier Koller, who already Meinrad Ingle - novel adaptations realized in his Swiss homeland, thus the big breakthrough hoped for in Hollywood.

Action

The film is about an Alevi family of seven children, who wants to emigrate illegally to Switzerland. The parents, Haydar and Meryem, familiarize yourself with the seven- year-old son Mehmet Ali on a journey into the land which they know only of postcards; the other children are to be made up later. In Italy, it takes the truck driver Ramser with a fee of DM 300 to the Swiss border, where the entry due to lack of visa is denied. At the Milan station they get into the hands of traffickers. The family is on foot walking over the mountains. In Snowstorm on the Splügenpass Mehmet Ali dies in his father's arms from exhaustion. Haydar is arrested. The film ends with Ramsers visit to the prison.

Awards

The film won the 1991 Oscar for best foreign language film. Winning the Academy Awards was as surprising as was generally favored the multi-award winning French contribution Cyrano de Bergerac.

Historical background of the film

In October 1988 shook the freezing death of a Turkish boy Switzerland. The father was taken into custody, the procedure terminated. Later, the refugees were again expelled to Turkey, the father was arrested. He was allowed to bury his child only after the interrogation. Later, a professional group of smugglers was arrested.