A film by Yasmine El Alaoui
Produced by Huma Gupta
Executive Producers:
Mahwish Khalil
Meitha Al Mazrooei
Supported by The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT
A Climate Futures, Cities Past Production
The film is set in the agricultural plains surrounding Marrakesh, which have experienced significant social and agrarian changes over the p a s t decade. Tameslouht, a mountain village located 17 km from Marrakesh, has also experienced rapid growth and urbanization. Historically, Tameslouht was a religious center that radiated from its Zawiyya (Sufi institution), known for its agricultural practices supported by Khettaras (ancestral underground water management systems), and clay pottery production. Today, the village appears to be constantly under construction. New structures are being built, and the grey of breezeblocks and fresh cement starkly contrast with the red earth they sits upon. The village seems to exist in a liminal state, with uncompleted and exposed structures, giving the village an overall gray appearance. The pottery industry continues to thrive, but due to a recent scarcity of wood, artisans have resorted to unsustainable kiln burning practices such as burning recycled tires, resulting in dark gray clouds of toxic smoke constantly hanging over the village.
Read more about the film making workshop: https://jaeonline.org/issue-article/may-our-egos-die-so-that-the-world-may-live/
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