An Amazigh proverb says, "An event that is not immortalized by poetry is as if it did not happen." The inhabitants of the village of Imider in the southeast of Morocco believe in this saying and represent it in their daily life and struggle. After the mine activity in their area, which is the largest silver mine in Africa, caused a scarcity of groundwater needed to grow almond trees, these farmers have been peacefully fighting for eight years to preserve their fragile oasis and their right to land and life. As for their means of struggle, they are: theater, poetry, and singing, and this documentary was directed by Nader Bouhmouch in cooperation with the inhabitants of Imider. In front of a more powerful opponent, this protest movement clings to its resilience, the capacity for creativity, its yearning for justice and its belief in it, a belief that even the security forces cannot extinguish.
Director's Bio:
Nader Bouhmouche, Moroccan director, scriptwriter, photographer and human rights activist, was born in Casablanca and grew up in Rabat. He studied at the University of San Diego in the United States of America, where he chairs the branch of Amnesty International "Amnesty International". His latest film, "Amussu", was shown at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival.