Original title: There is no other place
English title: There is no other place
Running time: 74 min.
Year of manufacture: 2021
Produced by: Anat Tel Films & ventana Film
Country: Israel
Director: Anat Tel

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the holiest shrine for Christians. According to belief, Jesus was crucified, buried in that very place and rose from the dead on the third day. Since then, this place is considered the "Home" of Jesus and has become a bone of contention for various Christian denominations, leading to bloodshed on several occasions. Tens of thousands of pilgrims come to the church every year with tears in their eyes, hoping to feel divine holiness, while powerful spiritual ceremonies. In 1757 AD l. the various Christian sects signed an agreement known as the ``Status Quo'', binding them to accept the existing conditions and abide by them forever. Very few people know its many clauses. Johnny, an Israeli policeman in charge of keeping the peace in the Church, is one of them. He was appointed to this "life's work" eight years ago, and since then he has been trying to prove that he is the only one who truly deserves to carry this burden. Peace and mutual understanding between the various Christian sects in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are extremely important. Everyone is well aware of the danger of a third world war breaking out there in the "Navel of the World". It is their devotion to Jesus that compels them to fight for ownership of every inch within the fluid boundaries inside the building. Even the keys to the church and the right to open and lock the doors are highly valued by those who hold them. The key to the large wooden door of the church is kept by two old Muslim families living in Jerusalem: Joudeh and Nuseibeh. Each asserts their right to possess this prestigious, highly sought-after privilege, claiming to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. They will never give up this honor, even though it has no real value. So these days, one of the families is the key custodian and the other is the gatekeeper. It is the divine conception of Christ that caused the gap between the three great denominations and there is still a big gap between the Greeks and the Armenians. With each holiday, tensions rise and bridges must be rebuilt in the hope that peace will last until the next holiday. The film tells the story of the least known Christiandenominations in the church, the Greeks and Armenians, which are actually the most powerful churches. They have the most parts inside the church and they are constantly fighting among themselves about who is the real ruler of the church. The Ethiopians, who were among the ruling churches 80 years ago, found themselves thrown onto the roof of the church in a moment of weakness. But the Copts (Christians from Egypt) claim that this roof belongs to them, and the issue is still in court today. Father Samuel, our narrator, is an Armenian 80-year-old priest who first came to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher when he was 16 years old, and since then this his home, he will pass through secret corridors that can only be entered by a special escort at night, when everyone goes to sleep and the church remains empty and silent."