Belgium, Austria, France, Germany
Synopsis
Darwin's Nightmare is a tale about humans between the North and the South about globalization, and about Fish.
In the heart of Africa some time in the 1960's, a new fish was introduced artificially into Lake Victoria as a little scientific experiment. Consequently, the Nile perch extinguished almost the entire stock of the native fish species. The voracious predator multiplied so fast that its white fillets are today exported all around the world.
Huge hulking ex-Soviet cargo planes come daily to collect the latest catch in exchange for their southbound cargo… Kalashnikovs and ammunitions for the uncounted wars in the dark centre of the continent.
This booming multinational industry of food and weapons has created an ungodly globalized alliance on the shores of the world’s biggest tropical lake: an army of young fishermen, Indian factory owners, African ministers, EU-commissioners, Russian pilots and Tanzanian prostitutes…
In the heart of Africa some time in the 1960's, a new fish was introduced artificially into Lake Victoria as a little scientific experiment. Consequently, the Nile perch extinguished almost the entire stock of the native fish species. The voracious predator multiplied so fast that its white fillets are today exported all around the world.
Huge hulking ex-Soviet cargo planes come daily to collect the latest catch in exchange for their southbound cargo… Kalashnikovs and ammunitions for the uncounted wars in the dark centre of the continent.
This booming multinational industry of food and weapons has created an ungodly globalized alliance on the shores of the world’s biggest tropical lake: an army of young fishermen, Indian factory owners, African ministers, EU-commissioners, Russian pilots and Tanzanian prostitutes…
Director's Biography
Hubert Sauper was born in a small village of Tyrol, Austrian Alps. He lived in Great Britain, Italy, the USA, and since ten years in France. He studied film directing in Vienna (Univ. of Performing Arts) and in Paris (Univ. de Paris VIII.) and graduated B.A.(Mag. art) Hubert teaches film classes in Europe and USA. The last two documentaries he wrote and directed were awarded twelve international film prizes.
Filmography (as writer and director)
1990 BLASI
1993 ON THE ROAD WITH EMIL
1994 SO I SLEEPWALK IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
1995 LOMOGRAPHER’S MOSCOW
1998 KISANGANI DIARY
2000 ALONE WITH OUR STORIES - SEULE AVEC NOS HISTOIRES (for TV)
2004 DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE
Filmography (as writer and director)
1990 BLASI
1993 ON THE ROAD WITH EMIL
1994 SO I SLEEPWALK IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
1995 LOMOGRAPHER’S MOSCOW
1998 KISANGANI DIARY
2000 ALONE WITH OUR STORIES - SEULE AVEC NOS HISTOIRES (for TV)
2004 DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Hubert Sauper
Written by: Hubert Sauper
Produced by: Antonin Svoboda, Martin Gschlacht, Hubert Toint, Hubert Sauper, Edouard Mauriat
Cinematography: Hubert Sauper
Editing: Denise Vindevogel
Sound Design: Veronika Hlawatsch
Nominations and Awards
- European Documentary Award – Prix Arte 2004