Documentary backdrop image for Facing the Mirror (2020)

Documentary backdrop image for Facing the Mirror (2020)

202082 minPGdocumentary

Facing the Mirror

202082 minPGdocumentary

Homelessness in Switzerland affects thousands, highlighting the struggles and resilience of individuals living on the streets of cities like Zurich and Geneva.

Genres

Director

Matthias Affolter

Synopsis

Homelessness in Switzerland affects thousands, highlighting the struggles and resilience of individuals living on the streets of cities like Zurich and Geneva.

People

Matthias Affolterdirector

Synopsis

In Switzerland, an estimated 10,000 people experience homelessness, often hidden from public view. "Facing the Mirror" highlights the lives of individuals such as 45-year-old Thomas, who struggles with addiction and mental health issues, and 32-year-old Anna, a single mother navigating the challenges of raising her child without stable housing. The film explores the systemic issues contributing to homelessness in urban areas like Zurich and Geneva, while also showcasing the efforts of organizations like HEKS (Swiss Church Aid) that provide support and resources to those in need.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Invisible People Documentary: Helping USA's Homeless with Mark Horvath (2022)

Invisible People Documentary: Helping USA's Homeless with Mark Horvath

Mark Horvath travels the country, empowering homeless individuals to share their stories through a platform he created called invisiblepeople.tv.

Invisible People Documentary: Helping USA's Homeless with Mark Horvath

Homeless People Tell Their Stories (Breadline Documentary) (2018)

Homeless People Tell Their Stories (Breadline Documentary)

A young woman spends her 18th birthday homeless on the streets, living under an overturned couch in America.

Homeless People Tell Their Stories (Breadline Documentary)

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary) (2019)

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary)

Over 80,000 children in the UK live in temporary housing, with many facing eviction and homelessness amid a severe housing crisis.

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary)

Inside the American Homeless Crisis - Poor and Forgotten on the Streets (2024)

Inside the American Homeless Crisis - Poor and Forgotten on the Streets

Rick has lived in tunnels in Las Vegas for six years, sharing his experiences alongside a young woman who recounts her first day on the streets.

Inside the American Homeless Crisis - Poor and Forgotten on the Streets

Karla 51 - Das Frauenobdach in München (Dokumentarfilm aus 2001) (2017)

Karla 51 - Das Frauenobdach in München (Dokumentarfilm aus 2001)

Karla 51 serves as a unique refuge in Munich, providing a safe space for homeless women who often remain invisible in urban society.

Karla 51 - Das Frauenobdach in München (Dokumentarfilm aus 2001)

Outsiders: The Faces of Homelessness (2023)

Outsiders: The Faces of Homelessness

Las Vegas, often seen as a symbol of wealth, contrasts sharply with the homelessness crisis highlighted by Senator José Peralta, who warns that anyone can face this reality.

Outsiders: The Faces of Homelessness

Being with Refugees (2025)

Being with Refugees

Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan share their daily lives and struggles, as filmmakers document their experiences amid ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Being with Refugees

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie (2024)

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie

A homeless encampment on the outskirts of St. Louis highlights the lives of its residents and the efforts of volunteers like Richard Wulf Mattson and Cathryn Shaw Brovold.

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie

Explore Facing the Mirror

Browse more like this

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary) (2019)

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary)

Over 80,000 children in the UK live in temporary housing, with many facing eviction and homelessness amid a severe housing crisis.

The Families Forced Into Homelessness: No Place To Call Home (Poverty Documentary)

No digital watch option in your country

Being with Refugees (2025)

Being with Refugees

Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan share their daily lives and struggles, as filmmakers document their experiences amid ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Being with Refugees

No digital watch option in your country

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie (2024)

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie

A homeless encampment on the outskirts of St. Louis highlights the lives of its residents and the efforts of volunteers like Richard Wulf Mattson and Cathryn Shaw Brovold.

Living in Tents | Social Issues Documentary | Full Movie

No digital watch option in your country

Becoming A Black Woman (2022)

Becoming A Black Woman

2022•52m•★8.3TMDB

Black women in Switzerland speak out against racism in a documentary that addresses their experiences and challenges in society.

Becoming A Black Woman

Taylor (2025)

Taylor

2025•1h41m•★6.2TMDB

Each night, staff at a Lausanne emergency shelter must choose 50 individuals to admit, leaving many outside in harsh winter conditions.

The Fortress (2008)

The Fortress

2008•1h44m•★6.6TMDB

Over 100 asylum seekers wait for decisions in a restrictive center in Switzerland, facing emotional and psychological challenges during the process.

Zvicra (2018)

Zvicra

2018•1h15m•★10.0TMDB

Seven Albanian characters illustrate the challenges of identity and belonging within Switzerland's diverse immigrant population.

Volunteer (2020)

Volunteer

2020•1h33m•★10.0TMDB

Thousands of refugees stranded at European borders receive assistance from a grassroots movement of Swiss citizens during the 2015 crisis.

Tableau noir (2013)

Tableau noir

2013•1h57m•★8.1TMDB

A small mountain school in Switzerland faces closure as it enters its final year before dismantling.

About Heaven (2015)

About Heaven

2015•1h25m•★7.7TMDB

In Switzerland, filmmaker Stéphane Goël engages with elderly citizens to explore their beliefs about the afterlife, revealing personal insights on mortality and heaven.

Magic Matterhorn (1995)

Magic Matterhorn

1995•1h25m•★8.0TMDB

Filmed in Switzerland and California, the documentary focuses on themes of entertainment and home.

Magic Matterhorn

The Shelter (2025)

The Shelter

2025•1h41m•★6.2TMDB

Each night, only 50 out of 100 individuals can find shelter in Lausanne, leaving many to face the harsh winter conditions outside.

Ex Voto (1986)

Ex Voto

1986•1h46m•★8.0TMDB

In central Switzerland, filmmaker Hans Langjahr reflects on identity, spirituality, and fundamental human experiences through his personal lens.

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →