Darwin's Nightmare (2004)

Director:

Hubert Sauper

Writer:

Hubert Sauper (written by)

Release Date:

21 January 2005 (Austria)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A documentary on the effect of fishing the Nile perch in Tanzania's Lake Victoria. The predatory fish, which has wiped out the native species, is sold in European supermarkets, while starving Tanzanian families have to make do with the leftovers.

Plot Keywords:

Lake Victoria | Fish | Perch | Africa | Tanzania

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 9 wins

Cast

Elizabeth 'Eliza' Maganga Nsese	...	Herself - Pilots' girlfriend, singer
Raphael Tukiko Wagara	...	Himself - Night guard
Dimond Remtulia	...	Himself - Fish factory owner
Marcus Nyoni	...	Himself - Airport police officer
Sergey Samarets	...	Himself - Ilyushin-76 captain
Jonathan Nathanael	...	Himself - Young painter
Msafiri 'Safiri' Habat	...	Himself - One-legged street boy
Dima Rogonov	...	Himself - Singing pilot
Vladimir Tarasenko	...	Himself - Air navigator
Jura Biriuchev	...	Himself - Freight supervisor
Stanislav Ivanchenko	...	Himself - Radio engineer
Jakob Maiseli	...	Himself - Fish-quality controller
Lalit Malhotra	...	Himself - Simba Plastics salesman
Shadard Mkono	...	Himself - Fishing camp leader
Cleopa Kaijage	...	Himself - Reverend
Cees Goudswaard	...	Himself - Marine biologist
Richard Mgamba	...	Himself - Investigative journalist
Naomie John	...	Herself - Girl in the bar
Gloria Jusoph	...	Herself - Girl in the bar
Angela Paul	...	Herself - Girl in the bar
Catherine Paul	...	Herself - Girl in the bar
Kaban Agustine	...	Himself - Street child
Thomas Alex	...	Himself
Njipl Arnosi	...	Himself - Street child
Juma John Assuman	...	Himself - Street child
Joseph Frenke	...	Himself - Street child
Neema Gondo	...	Himself - Street child
Frenk Haruna	...	Himself - Street child
Shabani Hussen	...	Himself - Street child
Silianus James	...	Himself - Street child
Doroca John	...	Himself - Street child
Alex Joseph	...	Himself - Street child
Juma Joseph	...	Himself - Street child
Mzee Masanja	...	Himself - Street child
Gwassa Masubuko	...	Himself - Street child
Abdarah Miti	...	Himself - Street child
Alex Musasav	...	Himself - Street child
Bane Mussa	...	Himself - Street child
Jema Mussa	...	Himself - Street child
Chacha Mwita	...	Himself - Street child
Josephu Nguno	...	Himself - Street child
Maga Nurata	...	Himself - Street child
Ramadhan Self	...	Himself - Street child
Malatiro William	...	Himself - Street child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lisa	...	Herself, street child (uncredited)
Hubert Sauper	...	Himself - Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Hubert Sauper

Writing credits
Hubert Sauper		(written by)

Produced by
Barbara Albert	....	producer
Martin Gschlacht	....	producer
Edouard Mauriat	....	producer
Hubert Sauper	....	producer
Antonin Svoboda	....	producer
Hubert Toint	....	producer

Cinematography by
Hubert Sauper

Film Editing by
Denise Vindevogel

Production Management
Farès Ladjimi	....	production manager

Art Department
Nick Flynn	....	artistic collaborator
Sandor Rieder	....	artistic collaborator

Sound Department
Cosmas Antoniadis	....	sound
Veronika Hlawatsch	....	sound designer
Andreas Schneider	....	foley artist
A. Tobias Tenney	....	assistant sound editor

Editorial Department
Thomas Treu	....	post-production assistant

Other crew
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist
Anne Stulz	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mille et Une Productions
• Coop 99
• Saga Film (I)
• Arte (co-production)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (co-production)

Distributors

• Ad Vitam Distribution (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Arsenal (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• ArtCam (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Bitters End (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Cinema Delicatessen (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• International Film Circuit (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Look Now! (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• 2-1-0 Films (2005) (Greece) (all media)
• Against Gravity (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Capri Releasing (2005) (Canada except Quebec) (all media)
• Geneon Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Pelicanfilms (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Sagrera TV (2005) (Spain) (all media)
• Seville Pictures (2005) (Canada: Quebec) (all media)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Tarantula Films (2006) (Mexico) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min | Australia:111 min

Country:

Austria | Belgium | France | Canada | Finland | Sweden

Language:

English | Russian | Swahili

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby (Synchro Film, Austria)

Certification:

Sweden:7 | Iceland:L | Czech Republic:15 | Singapore:PG | Hungary:16 | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Australia:M | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Lake Victoria, Tanzania

Company:

Mille et Une Productions

Movie Connections:

Features Black Cat, White Cat (1998)

A real eye-opener

This is a film that must be seen by anybody who is concerned about world issues. It is a real eye-opener that presents the situation in Tanzania exactly as it is. It doesn't make it easy for the viewer - the conclusion you come to is a painful one, after witnessing experiences that end up making you feel as though you are there with the characters.

The full details of each issue are not explored, but this is not a problem as you come away with a thorough overview of the whole scenario, the visions of people from all perspectives having been represented.

I especially liked the raw reality of the film; nowadays we are constantly presented with images of third world suffering that distance 'us' from 'them' - this film does not allow that sort of comfort thinking, but more highlights this issue as part of a colossal world injustice.