DIRECTOR/AUTHOR Daniel Asadi Faezi, Mila Zhluktenko
PRODUCTOR Daniel Asadi Faezi, Mila Zhluktenko, Fozil Yunusov
PRODUCTION University of TV and Film Munich
EDITING Daniel Asadi Faezi, Mila Zhluktenko
SOUND Fazliddin Musurmonov
In the desert mirage of a dead lake, a community grapples with the haunting legacy of the vanished Aral Sea and a landscape forever transformed by climate change
“Aralkum” explores the notion of devastation as encapsulated by the ecological tragedy of the Aral Sea. Set against the backdrop of rusty shipwrecks in the now-dried-up lake, Aralkum immerses viewers in a transformed world, highlighting the impact of environmental degradation. In doing so, it prompts reflection on the consequences of human actions and ignites a global conversation about environmental stewardship. What is the hope for our shared future? Aralkum emphasizes our role in the intricate tapestry of nature as the surreal flickering of the Aralkum Desert transforms into the waves of the former Aral Sea. Sand reverts to water. An old man becomes a fisherman again.
MILA ZHLUKTENKO (b. 1991 in Kyiv) studied in the Documentary Department at
the University of Television and Film Munich. Her films have been screened at numerous film festivals, including IDFA, Visions du Réel, Camerimage and MoMA, winning multiple awards.
DANIEL ASADI FAEZI (b. 1993 in Germany) studied in the Documentary Department at
the University of Television and Film Munich and the National College of Arts, Lahore (Pakistan).
His films have been screened at various film festivals, including Locarno International Film Festival, DOK Leipzig, Visions du Réel and Ann Arbor Film Festival. He is a Berlinale Talents alumnus.
