|
Darwin's Nightmare
Directed by: Hubert Sauper
Starring: Tanzania and her people
Genre:
Documentary
Run Time: 107
min.
Release Date:
June 2005
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE
is truly that: a nightmare. Filmed on-location in Tanzania along the
banks of the massive Lake Victoria, director Hubert Sauper puts the lens
of his camera in the face of everyone involved in this human atrocity
…from those who aid it, to those at the bottom of its global
circumstances.
The focus is on the gigantic Nile Perch, a freshwater fish of
unbelievable size, who was unfortunately introduced to Lake Victoria and
has decimated the native fish population. On the upside, however, is the
new economy brought by the Nile Perch. Million dollar fish packing
operations abound and jobs are available …but only to a few hundred
natives. The remainder live in squalor and on starvation's doorstep. All
of the fish, without exception, are flown out of Africa to richer, more
affluent, neighboring continents (mostly Europe). The money being made
by the IMF and a few select companies is impressive, but can it last?
Mr. Sauper has done something extraordinary. Without putting in any
bias, he has allowed this story to unfold on its own. I've never,
ever, seen a documentary like this. I was appalled by the
educational system in Tanzania (basically nonexistent) and yet startled
by the realization that none of the Tanzanians know or care about the
globalization that is causing much of their problems (again, an
educational issue). One of the natives that Mr. Sauper interviewed even
wished that war would spill over from Angola and into Tanzania so that
he could have "better work". Incredible! AIDS, of course, is an ever
present item in Africa, and Tanzania is no exception. But the additional
problem here is that there are few facilities to care for the infected.
On many of the large islands on Lake Victoria, there are no doctors,
hospitals, or dispensaries. Prostitution is widespread as women become
widowed and have no source of income. Children are on the street,
fighting for fists full of rice, early victims of AIDS after losing
their parents. And what is the world doing about this …? The hidden
side-story in the documentary is "what's on the planes when they land in
Tanzania." High-level officials say, "Nothing." But truth be told (by
one of the pilots interviewed) sometimes weapons are shipped in on the
planes, destined for war-torn areas of Africa. No food. No humanitarian
supplies. Nothing else makes it in to Tanzania. We (the world) take from
Africa, and all we give it is more death and destruction. This isn't
stated directly in the film, but is easily surmised through the
interviews.
Finally, there's the airport. Almost as much a character in the film as
anyone, this landing field (I hesitate to call it an airport) is a
ramshackle building with flies, bees, and broken equipment, resulting in
many airliner mishaps throughout the years. A testament to the unspoken
fact that the world has no intentions of developing this area. We'll
take until there's nothing left, then we'll leave Tanzania and her
people to her final verdict. Death!
(back to top) |
Image from Darwin's
Nightmare
DVD cost: $20.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The film won for Best
Documentary at the European Film Awards and was nominated for an Oscar.
Movie Quote: "What's
on the planes when they come into Tanzania?"
Other Actors/Actresses
from Darwin's Nightmare
   |
