DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE

Lakes should be an abundant source of life. But when Nile perch were introduced into Lake Victoria in Tanzania almost 50 years ago, they became predators, killing off almost all other species swimming in those waters. Thanks to the fast breeding habits of the fish and the large cargo planes that come daily to collect them from local fishermen, millions of people all over the world are well fed--save for the villagers living on the shore, who are too poor to afford their own local commodity.

At first DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE appears to be a film about unequal living standards between the Western and the developing worlds. But as director Hubert Sauper delves deeper into the multi-billion-dollar Nile perch industry, he finds a connection between massive epidemics, food shortages, and numerous civil wars raging in the area. The truth lies in the jumbo jets that fly into the area with cargo holds full of Kalashnikovs and ammunition instead of humanitarian supplies. Like the genocides of Rwanda and Sudan, which were initially discounted as tribal conflicts by the Western media, the fighting in Tanzania is fueled by imperialistic interests in natural resources.

Rarely is beauty captured amid such horror. Sauper's honest portrayal of the local people results in a film that is as lovely as it is haunting. From World Bank agents and EU commissioners to fishermen, prostitutes and Russian pilots--the amazing stories, lyrical songs and the sights and sounds of jumbo jets in the sky will remain in the viewer's mind long after the last frame is projected.

Mary Kerr

Hubert Sauper was born in the village of Tyrol, Austrian Alps. He lived in Great Britain, Italy, the USA, and, since he was10 years old, in France. He studied film directing in Vienna and in Paris. Sauper teaches film classes in Europe and the USA. As an actor, he played in several shorts and two feature films. The last two documentaries he wrote and directed, KISANGANI DIARY and ALONE WITH OUR STORIES, were awarded twelve international film prizes.

Thursday 6/16 at 9:15 p.m.
Friday 6/17 at 2:00 p.m.

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