Darwins+Nightmare-+Pringle

1) Title, director and release year? Darwin’s Nightmare, Hubert Sauper, 2004

2) What is the central argument or narrative of the film? With the ecological and labor exploitation African work force is deteriorating at an exponential rate with horrible working and living conditions. The film takes a specific focus Tanzania’s fish export from Lake Victoria. Issues such as death, famine, homelessness, disease are covered following the lives of people who are affected by the local fishing.

3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out? While the fish industry exports nearly 55 tons of fish per day, the local Tanzanians are starving to death. Furthermore, drought problems are causing a decline in rice production, one of the only foods the locals can afford to eat. Oddly enough the locals cannot even afford to eat the fish that is harvest from lake Victoria. The fish is being purchased from foreign countries however no aid has been supplied to this longtime supplier an estimated 17 million US dollars in aid would be needed to begin feeding the people of Tanzania. This is minimal considering the wealth of the corporations purchasing the food. It is in the best interests of purchasers of fish to help support environment in order to continue to harvest fish. The disappearance of all of the fish from Lake Victoria would certainly have ecological consequences, as well as cultural influences. Culturally, the locals depend on the fish export as their way of life. With no fish left to harvest, many of the fishermen and their families could starve to death. Many would become refugees as there would be no reason to remain at Lake Victoria any longer without food or work. The exploitation of cheap labor is already an issue however if the fish are gone there will be an issue of no labor.

4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why? I found that the personal stories of the prostitutes most compelling they essentially where raped and taken advantage of by foreign pilots with hope of money or better life. Yet they were stranded with no chance of breaking out since there only job was prostitution, it is easy to see these women do not want to live this life yet there are no jobs to choose from. It was also very interesting how the younger generation did not wish to follow their father’s footsteps in fishing yet they wanted to be the pilots. This is a false hope with the lack of education and financial support these children receive so now they are chasing a dead end similar to the prostitutes.

5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? I was not as convinced by the lack of scientific information. I thought the small section they showed about the Ecological Congress in Kenya could have been much more compelling than it was. The film never really addressed these political and ecological concerns. They seemed to focus more on the security guard working conditions rather than actual scientific data that is being collected.

6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.? The film makes me want to seek out the financial data of the companies purchasing the fish it would be interesting to see the cost they are buying the fish at compared to the cost they are selling. I also wonder if there are similar companies who sell their products to the locals they are buying their products off of. These companies would be able to sell product at a reduced rate considering no transportation or packaging is necessary only a processing fee.

7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems? This movie can appeal to general audience because they interview all age groups and all different types of people. The film I’m sure brings a horrible feeling of exploitation and can make someone think twice about what products they are purchasing and how it’s affecting other people. Similar issues in coffee have occurred however received much more success in receiving fair wages and working conditions.

8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film? The film suggests we inspire the need to provide aid to countries such as Africa who are being taken advantage of. Yet they seem to place the responsibility of aid on shoulders of helping nations. I disagree the focus needs to be on the corporations exploiting these countries. It is common courtesy to scratch the back of the hand that feeds you.

9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value? The exploitation of the companies purchasing the fish from lake Victoria should have been a part of the film. However Lake Victoria is in a vulnerable position because the country relies on the income of the exportation of fish. Yet the current method is not sustainable and has to change. Maybe additional solutions such as additional cash crops can be explored.