THE WELL – WATER VOICES FROM ETHIOPIA
Directors: Paolo Barberi & Riccardo Russo
Producers: Paolo Barberi, Riccardo Russo & Esplorare la Metropoli
2011 | 56 min
Ethiopia | Italy
Languages: Oromo, English
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
This is the Horn of Africa, a region of the world that is periodically shocked by terrible droughts. Each year to prepare for the coming drought, Borana herders will gather their livestock and walk for days to the dry Oromia Lowlands (South of Ethiopia) to retrieve water from their secular astonishing “singing” wells. Chronicling their life during a whole dry season, the film reveals a unique traditional water management system that regards what available water there is as the property and right of everyone, without any money being exchanged.
FESTIVALS & AWARDS
Best Cinematography & Best Sound Editing (Documentary Feature), SIMA 2013
2nd Prize for Documentary and Journalistic films -28° Agrofilm Festival, Nitra, Slovak Republik
02- Special Prize Benedetto Senni for sustainable development and food sovereignty in Africa – 5° Terra di Tutti Film Festival, Bologna, Italy
Special Award of the Festival Organization – Rome Docscient Festival, Italy
Best Film, Human Rights Award – III Festival Internacional Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
Prix du Film Sauvegarde de l’Environnent Ushuaia TV et Parc naturel regional
du Vercors – 28ème Festival International Du Film Montagne d’Autrans
Honorary Mention – ThisHumanWorld Film Festival, Wien, Austria
Special Mention of the Jury – Quintessence – Festival International du Film de Ouidah, Bénin
Special Mention – 6° Festival de Cine Politico Social y de los Derechos Humanos, Valparaiso, Chile
Centro Incontri Umani Award -Göttingen International Ethnographic Film Festival, Germany
Best Film – Acquadoc International Film Festival Award, Perugia, Italy
Grand Prix of the festival -XVIII Envirofilm Festival, Banksa Bystrica, Slovak Republic
Legambiente Special Mention – XV Cinemambiente Environmental Film Festival, Torino, Italy
Best Documentary -20° Arcipelago Film Festival, Rome, Italy
Premio per il miglior report sulle condizioni ambientali di un luogo -Festival Lo sguardo di Omero, Melendugno (Br), Italy
Miglior Documentario.Clorofilla Film Festival, Italy
1st prizee – The Humane Image Competition, 4th BIFF Baghdad International Film Festival, Iraq
Prix Coup de Cœur – Festival du Film, Pastoralismes et Grands Espaces, Lagrange, France
Award for Best Feature – Environmental Preservation – 9th Annual Artivist Film Festival, Holliwood, USA
Miglior Film – FIDRA (Festival Internazionale del Documentario Reportage Ambientale, Arenzano (GE), Italy
Green Jury Award – FIDRA (Festival Internazionale del Documentario Reportage Ambientale, Arenzano (GE), Italy
Premio del Pubblico: L’Occhio del Pavone – FIDRA (Festival Internazionale del Documentario Reportage Ambientale, Arenzano (GE), Italy
Miglior Mediometraggio Tuttinellostessopiatto, Trento, Italy
Most Awarded Italian Documentary produced in 2011 -Cinemaitaliano