Those Who Watch Over

In Brussels, tucked away among tall row houses in the municipality of Evere, a multireligious cemetery is open to all. It is run by an intermunicipal association that recognizes and respects a wide range of funeral rites, and is the only cemetery in Belgium that accommodates all religions on equal terms.

Filmmaker Karima Saïdi captures the people there as they come and go—relatives, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances of the deceased. They talk at length and with emotion sing to the gravestones, some of which are overgrown with wild plants, others polished and gleaming. Each grave is a memorial to the immigrants who are buried here in their adopted homeland.

We hear from the visitors, each with their own reasons for coming. They share food, perform personal rituals, and read poems. The caretaker also talks about the history of the cemetery, while the gravediggers and gardeners express their love for their work. This small piece of land in Evere thus illustrates the rich and layered reality of a multicultural city.