Idfa international documentary festival amsterdam 2014. It is a thorough and significant record of chinas terrifying reach across the world for the natural resources and sovereignty of underdeveloped countries. A multiaward winning 2014 documentary about the site, saving mes aynak, follows a race against time to save the 5,000yearold archaeological site from the demolition pit mining would cause. Mes aynak bronze age site and ancient buddhist kingdom. Saving mes aynak is an effective and compelling documentary about the attempts to preserve an ancient archaeological site in afghanistan. The tools delve deeper into the issues and stories within the film such as the history of mes aynak, buddhisms history in afghanistan, the fight to preserve cultural heritage, the environmental impact of mining, and. A chinese stateowned mining company plans to mine the copper deposits beneath it. Embassy kabul mes aynak is a 2,600yearold buddhist site in logar province, afghanistan, that is home to both an ancient archaeological site and one of the largest copper deposits in. Huffmans new story about the current situation at the ancient buddhist city of mes aynak, afghanistan and the impact the documentary saving mes aynak has had. Mes aynak contains afghanistans largest copper deposit, as well as the remains of an ancient settlement with over 400 buddha statues, stupas and a 40 ha 100 acres monastery.
Nine years after chinese companies took control of mes aynak, copper extraction has yet to start. Only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and. Shens expulsion from the chinese communist party is a huge development, according to brent huffman, the director of saving mes aynak. Mes aynak, which is 5,000 years old and covers more than 500,000 square meters, is truly one of the unseen wonders of the world. Saving mes aynak follows archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save this 5,000yearold buddhist archeological site from imminent demolition. The afghan archaeologists, who have persevered under incredible political pressures and physical stress, cannot help but be the films true heroes. Download ministers assistant melissa maslanka speaks about the documentary film saving mes aynak which tells the story about heroic attempts to save a 5,000 year old archaeological site in afghanistan. Tricycle magazine, the largest buddhist publication in the us, just published director and professor brent e. A sneak peek at saving mes aynak ahead of idfa world premiere. Collapsed china hotel used as quarantine site kills 6. Iconem develops digitizing and 3d modeling techniques for human heritage. Worldfamous buddhas of bamiyan resurrected in afghanistan. Saving mes aynak special film showing and interview with brent huffman. In saving mes aynak, a reallife indiana jones fights to protect afghanistans buddhist heritage by frank carlson november 19.
It focuses on afghan archaeologist qadir temori and his struggle to save mes aynak, a 5,000yearold archaeological site in afghanistan which faces demolition. July 1, 2015 social media awareness effort on facebook and twitter on this day, we will unite in watching saving mes aynak, and announce to the world that we believe in saving mes aynak, and in protecting culture, history, and human rights. In afghanistan a recently excavated a goldplated seated buddha overlooks the china metallurgical group corporation mine. Worldfamous buddhas of bamiyan resurrected in afghanistan fourteen years after the taliban dynamited the worldfamous buddhas of bamiyan, the. Saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5,000yearold archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent destruction. Watch the saving mes aynak official trailer wildmind.
Saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races to save a 5,000yearold archaeological site in afghanistan from. Saving mes aynak shows the sheer determination of the. The mes aynak copper bonanza is seen by the afghan government as a vital source of revenue. The only way for mes aynak to be saved is if the afghan government intervenes, halts mining, and officially petitions to unesco to make mes aynak a world heritage site. Kartemquins 6th world premiere of 2014 will be this sunday, as saving mes aynak screens at idfa. About the film filmmakers distinctions photos video news press. My hope is the documentary can actually save mes aynak by rallying international support to stop the destruction of this cultural treasure. Saving mes aynak afghan archaeologist qadir temori races against time to save a 5,000yearold archaeological site from imminent demolition. The story behind chinas longstalled mine in afghanistan. In many ways saving mes aynak is intended to be a love letter to the people of afghanistan who are now threatened by the loss of their own history as well as the massive environmental devastation and loss of human rights that this open pit copper mine will cause. Mes aynak bronze age site and ancient buddhist kingdom 2500 bc.
Tickets are now on sale for the films five screenings at the worlds largest documentary festival, with director brent huffman, producer zak piper, and executive producers gordon quinn and julia reichert attending. Unfortunately, saving mes aynak appears to be a daunting task, one that involves taking on the afghan government and even the united states, as well as china. Watch how these women are saving black mothers lives. I created saving mes aynak to be a catalyst for change. Please share this info thank you if you are reading these lines. So far only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe that future discoveries there have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan. The fight to save an ancient buddhist city in afghanistan. According to the saving mes aynak indiegogo fundraising page. Association for asian studies film expo chicago, il. This ancient city named mes aynak, or little copper well was once at the heart of the bustling silk road, the revolutionary trade route that tied. Saving mes aynak its a races against time to save a 5,000yearold archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition.
He and his team aim to have the documentary viewed at as many places on the planet as possible, creating a mass global awareness of mes aynak. Huffman, the director of the documentary saving mes aynak who has launched an indiegogo campaign that will climax on july 1st 2015. Saving mes aynak is a 2014 independent documentary film, directed, produced, shot and edited by brent e. Saving mes aynak 2014 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Brent huffman on saving mes aynak and the geography of gandharan art. National geographic stories take you on a journey thats always enlightening, often surprising, and unfailingly fascinating. Mes aynak, one of afghanistans most important cultural treasures, may be destroyed by the end of 2015. Unverified content afghan archeologists at breaking ground at mes ainak, an ancient copper mine, south of kabul, nov 14, 2011. This brief trailer gives just a flavor of some of the precious finds that have been excavated from mes aynak.
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