Saving Mes Aynak

Saving Mes Aynak
Directed by	Brent Huffman
Produced by	Brent Huffman Zak Piper Xiaoli Zhou
Music by	Homayoun Sakhi
Cinematography	Brent Huffman
Edited by	Brent Huffman
Production company	German Camera Productions Kartemquin Films
Distributed by	Icarus Films (US) AutLook FilmSales (Int'l)
Release dates	2014 (2014)
Running time	58 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

A view of Mes Aynak

Saving Mes Aynak is a 2014 independent documentary film, directed, produced, shot and edited by Brent E. Huffman.^[1] It focuses on Afghan archaeologist Qadir Temori and his struggle to save Mes Aynak, a 5,000-year-old archaeological site in Afghanistan which faces demolition.^[2] Saving Mes Aynak was the 2014 recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Grant in 2014.

Saving Mes Aynak premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in November 2014.^[3] It later aired on Al Jazeera America and Al Jazeera English networks in July 2015 and was also broadcast on multiple other networks in various countries.^[2][4]

The film was directed by Brent E. Huffman. He was awarded the The International Academic Forum Documentary Film Award in 2015 in part for his work on the film.^[5]

Synopsis

Saving Mes Aynak examines the archaeological site of Mes Aynak. Though 90% of the site has yet to be excavated, it is threatened by a Chinese state-owned mining company. The copper mining planned there would completely demolish the archaeological site, as well as the surrounding mountain range. Qadir Temori and other Afghan archaeologists must rally against not only the Chinese government, but also the Taliban and local politics to save the historic site.^[6]

Save Mes Aynak Day

The filmmakers of Saving Mes Aynak created a "Save Mes Aynak Day" on July 1, 2015 in efforts to promote the preservation of Mes Aynak and the film.^[7] The film's director, Brent Huffman, met with Afghan leaders and presented them with a petition signed by 100,000 people favoring site preservation.^[7] Huffman also provided the leaders with copies of the film.^[7]

Awards and festivals

Saving Mes Aynak continues to screen in theaters, museums, universities across the globe—to the Louvre, Museum of World Culture in Sweden, The National Museum of the Czech Republic, the Rubin Museum of Art NYC, Seattle Art Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and many more—educating the public across the globe on the issues of cultural heritage, struggles and devotion of archaeologists.^[8]

References

Further reading

• Miranda, Carolina A. (15 July 2015). "Can a film help save an Afghan archeological site before it's turned into an open-pit mine?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 January 2016. 
• McNary, Dave. "'Saving Mes Aynak' Documentary Campaign Launched on Indiegogo". Variety. Retrieved 30 January 2016. 
• "Saving Mes Aynak documentary expected in premiere by end of 2014 – Afghan News Agency". Khaama Press. January 30, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2016. 
• K, Jayalakshmi (May 4, 2015). "Buddha Purnima: Ancient Buddhist city in Afghanistan could be destroyed by copper mining". International Business Times UK. Retrieved January 30, 2016. 

External links

• Official website
• German Camera Productions
• Saving Mes Aynak Facebook Page
• Saving Mes Aynak Twitter Page
• Kartemquin Films
• Saving Mes Aynak at the Internet Movie Database
• "Full Frame Coverage: Saving Mes Aynak". Indie Pulse.