
A documentary about two extraordinary Swiss men at an extraordinary cycle race in East Africa.

See the film
To promote blood donation for the Swiss Red Cross- in a country shaken by war, Doc Redbeard -(Martin Weber, 58) puts his shirt on Beny. Fifty years old Beny is an - ultra-distance sport cyclist – and one armed. Through the cycle race Giro d’Eritrea the two men experience a forgotten country full of surprise.
Beny Furrer wants to cycle down the 1’100 kilometers of the Giro d’Eritrea as the ambassador of blood. His participation amongst a hundred young local cyclists should state that blood donation doesn’t effect his performance. Even if he has only one arm and is at the age of 50. Beny wants to invalidate the old African prejudice that blood donation causes a loss of energy.
In Eritrea one finds a great number of disabled people. Most of them victims of the long war for independence. Many of these fighters were treated by Doc Readbeard in a refugee camp at the Sudanese-Eritrean boarder. Since then, the Doctor with the red bushy mustache is called Abu Shenab Moishnung (Crazy Doctor Redbeard).
Sweat For Blood shows the incredible adventure of two real characters on their mission in the breath-taking scenery of East Africa.






Director: Urs Schnell
Production: Schweizer Fernsehen SF
Camera: Mani Koller, Dodo Hunziker
Editing and Sound: Dodo Hunziker
A Production of SF Schweizer Fernsehen 2006
Martin Weber
Beni Furrer
Rosmarie Furrer
Saleh Meki
Yordanos
Yemane
Shambel