Darwin's Nightmare
a HUBERT SAUPER picture
Synopsis
A tale about humans between the North and South, about globalization, and about fish. In Africa in the 1960s, the Nile Perch was introduced into Lake Victoria. Consequently, it eliminated almost the entire stock of the native fish species. The voracious predator multiplied fast, its white fillets are exported all around the world. Huge cargo planes come daily to collect the latest catch in exchange for their cargo of 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.
Trailer
Stills
Press
"It immerses you in its reality one toe at a time, until suddenly you are in over your head, gasping for air as the horror of the situation reveals itself in all its savage devastation."
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Less an exposé of corrupt individuals than a terribly lucid investigation into mankind’s mad capacity for (self-)destruction, it’s a film that will surely prick the conscience of all who see it."
TIME OUT
"An uncompromising portrait of how global capitalism can exploit an area’s resources to the point of near annihilation."
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"Darwin’s Nightmare” fully lives up to its chilling title, a cinema verite journey to the heart of darkness- not the heart of Africa, where it transpires, but to the murkiest reaches of human apathy and despair."
THE WASHINGTON POST
"An unforgettable film that ranks as mandatory viewing for anyone who’s concerned with the plight of Africa."
FILM CRITIC
Festivals
& Awards
Venice Film Festival
Venice Days
Europa Cinemas Award
Toronto International Film Festival
San Sebastian International Film Festival
European Film Awards
Best Documentary
Academy Awards
Best Documentary Nominee
Vienna International Film Festival
Best Documentary
César Awards, France
Best First Work
Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
Audience Award
Paris Environmental Festival
Best Film
Copenhagen Docs
Best Filmc
Cast & Crew
| Written and Directed by | Hubert Sauper |
|---|---|
| Producers | Edouard Mauriat, Antonin Svoboda, |
| Martin Gschlacht, Hubert Toint, | |
| Barbara Albert, Hubert Sauper | |
| Cinematography | Hubert Sauper |
| Editor | Denise Vindevogel |
| Sound | Cosmas Antoniadis, Veronika Hlavatsch |
Releases