“Pamalandong sa Danow is a visually compelling and deeply personal short documentary that confronts the environmental crises facing the Philippines through lived experience and Indigenous testimony. Drawing from his own exposure to recurring natural disasters, the artist documents the ecological degradation of Agusan Marsh—one of the country’s most vital wetlands—through the voices of three childhood friends who have dedicated their lives to protecting their ancestral land. The film reveals the intimate bond between community and environment while tracing destruction to deforestation, extractive industries, pollution, and corporate neglect. The jury honors this work for its powerful use of art as advocacy and for ensuring that the voices of environmental defenders are heard beyond local borders.”
Jury Statement
Agusan Marsh, the largest freshwater wetland in the Philippines, is home to various wild species and is considered a catch basin that helps regulate flooding in its surrounding areas. This is also the ancestral domain of the indigenous Agusanong Manobo people. But due to extreme weather events, their primary livelihood—fishing—is being affected and is slowly dwindling. The water levels in Agusan Marsh are slowly declining, putting the wetland at critical risk of disappearing. This process is being accelerated by land erosion from the highlands, caused by human incursions such as mining and deforestation.
Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh) is a short documentary film that presents the realities of those already facing the worst impact of climate crisis and ecological degradation. Shot by Filipino filmmaker Breech Asher Harani alone, and in a span of twelve hours only, the film captures the lives of indigenous people of Agusan Marsh and what it means to them to preserve and protect their home.
https://cinemalaya.org/pamalandong-sa-danow/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33060193/
Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh), Sky Light / Breech Asher Harani (PH), credit: Breech Asher Harani
a-Danow-by-Breech-Asher-Harani-(3), Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh), Marsh Life / Breech Asher Harani (PH), credit: Breech Asher Harani
Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh), Floating Village / Breech Asher Harani (PH), credit: Breech Asher Harani
Credits
Breech Asher Harani, Breeches & Ashers Studio, Davao, Philippines.
The presentation of the work is funded by State of the ART(ist), a collaboration between the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ars Electronica.
Breech Asher Harani
Breech Asher Harani is a filmmaker from the the Philippines who creates films that tackle social, and environmental topics. He was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in Asia; winner of the Young Creatives Award by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; a recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation’s CNN Academy: Climate Storytelling program; and the first recipient of the Climate and Labor Film Grant by One World Media, the Pulitzer Center and the Financial Times.
