Aral: Fishing in an Invisible Sea
Duration: 00:53:00 In the last few decades the Aral Sea has lost over 80% of its surface area. This is due in large part to the mismanagement of irrigation in the Amudariya and Syrdariya rivers basin, and the growing cotton industry in the first half of the twentieth century. The disappearing sea le...
| Other Authors: | , |
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| Institution: | Open Society Archives at Central European University |
| Language: | Uzbek |
| Published: |
Fabrica
2004
Uzbekistan |
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10891/osa:448fd0b4-94bf-4523-8529-3e99df6ae454 |
| Summary: | Duration: 00:53:00
In the last few decades the Aral Sea has lost over 80% of its surface area. This is due in large part to the mismanagement of irrigation in the Amudariya and Syrdariya rivers basin, and the growing cotton industry in the first half of the twentieth century. The disappearing sea leaves behind a polluted desert, destroying the lives of the local inhabitants, traditional fishermen of Aral. The Uzbek village of Moynak, once located in the shores of the Aral Sea, today is little more than a wasteland with a few grassy shallows containing the last remaining fish. A majority of the local population has already been forced to move to neighboring kazakhstan, as fishing had always been the primary and very nearly the only source of livelihood in Moynak. This Uzbek -Italian co-production is an intimate portrayal of the three generations of the family trying to make a living in the desolute area. "I cannot imagine the grandfather's stories of an immense sea, which was sailed on by great shipsm are based on the truth," says little Janibek Anuarov, who with his father tries day after day to catch at least a few fish for dinner in the frozen shallows. The laconic style of shooting utilizes long shots, which, combined with the disturbing music of A.R. Mutti, reflects the belak situation of the locals, Even thoughthe level of water in the Aral sea has slightly increased in the last few years, according to estimates it will most certainly disappear by the year 2010. |
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| Published: | 2004 |