On the production front, given that the film couldn’t be shot due to lockdowns in Mecca, a campaign on social media launched during Ramadan invited people everywhere to share their memories of Mecca. People from 52 countries contributed. Over 20 hours of stories were sifted through and then, those stories were put together in a film that’s told through people’s social media stories about Mecca. Because even though Mecca may be locked down, its stories will go on.
Philosophy
The Idea: So, on the occasion of Eid, for Al Mosafer, a travel platform from Saudi Arabia, we decided that if people can't travel to Mecca, their stories of Mecca can. Memories of Mecca are brought to people, in a film made by people themselves, titled ‘Stories of Mecca’.
Problem
The Occasion: Today, marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid; a celebration that’s observed by 1.8 billion people (Muslims) around the world. It’s tradition among Muslims to visit Mecca during Ramadan and Eid - for prayers to observe the two religious celebrations as well as for Umrah (the year-round pilgrimage). The Tension: But this year, due to the situation and the health crisis owing to COVID-19, Mecca is under absolute lockdown, even during Ramadan and Eid. Even people living in Saudi Arabia cannot travel to Mecca. This has never happened in our lifetime. With these lockdowns and travel restrictions prevalent in Saudi Arabia, Ramadan 2020 and Eid 2020 are uniquely challenging, on a spiritual level, for those who follow the faith.
Result
Within 8 hours of going live, the film has garnered over 500,000 cross-platform views and is at a 100% positive sentiment score.