“STOLEN FISH” RECEIVES SPECIAL MENTION IN CROATIA
The short documentary by Gosia Juszczak was recognised at the recently concluded Split Film Festival in Croatia.
Split Film Festival is a Croatian festival held annually for the past 25 years. Each year, the popular festival presents international feature-length and short productions. The 2021 edition was held online.
Gosia Juszczak's documentary was appreciated in the short section. “Stolen Fish” received a special mention from the international jury. The film takes us to Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, where the population of fish is running low. Ever since Chinese fishmeal factories were built there – most of them are processed into animal feed and then sent to China and Europe. Despite protests, the huge neo-colonial business flourishes, and the promises of new roads and hundreds of jobs turn out to be nothing more than an illusion. The stories of fishermen Paul and Abou and fish merchant Mariam put an intimate frame around the story of West Africa's stolen development and the need to look for a better life in Europe. “Stolen Fish” is the director's 30-minute debut and the first film to show the consequences of Chinese presence in Gambia – which are already drastic despite the fact that the fishmeal factories have only been running for the past three years.
You can find out more about the festival on its website.