Entry 22-674 | Finland | 2022 | 75’ | Language: English Daasanach | Subtitles: English

Shepherds of the Earth

Looduse valvurid

The story of the film takes place in Turkana, Kenya. This unique place is also known as the Cradle of Humankind where the discoveries of prehistorical human origins are made. The area is nowadays inhabited by the indigenous pastoral tribe called Daasanach. Our main character Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, Spanish ethnobiologist arrive to Turkana to study the relationship between humans and nature. He becomes friends with a tribe member Job Nasak, who guides him into the daily life of the village. Alvaro gets impressed by traditional fables and animal stories of the tribe and he is asked to collect them for the first ever Daasanach language story book. The stories paint a picture of vivid nature and a rich wildlife. But while exploring the national park Alvaro discovers dry and bare landscape with hardly any animals left. So starts a fascinating story from the Cradle of Humankind, a story of the nomadic people’s struggle to survive, of poaching, nature reserve rangers, tribal wars over scarce resources and prehistoric fossils. The two worlds of biologists and the tribe members collide revealing the values of wildlife and nature for both.

Original title: Luomakunnan vartijat

Details

Director
Iiris Härmä
Cinematography
Visa Koiso-Kanttila
Editing
Matti Näränen
Composer
Per Störby Jutbring
Producer
Visa Koiso-Kanttila
Production Company
Guerilla Films
Contact of presenter / Director

Awards

NGO Mondo Special Prize
Mondo works in 12 countries in the world to reduce global inequalities. For the third time at the festival, we present a special award to a film about climate change. This year we have chosen a film that tackles the topic of climate justice, but at the same time asks much broader ethical questions that we at Mondo need to ask in our work daily. Who knows what is best for a community? Who has the right to decide over land use when one needs to weigh between the traditional lifestyle and protection of rare species? With great sensitivity Iiris Härmä in her film covers the story of the nomadic Daasanach peoples in Kenya and the dilemmas that the researchers struggle with while cooperating with the community. There are no simple answers.

Film recommendations

Supporters

Lihula Kultuurimaja · Lääneranna Noortekeskus · Lihula Raamatukogu