3 students,

1 teacher,

3 countries,

1.500km,

1 bike,

2 cameras :

= a webdocumentary !

Film Concept

Climate change, a process that is hard to grasp in Europe

While climate change is only a vague notion for many Europeans, a small team have decided to film the reality of Climate Change and water shortages in a region of the world where its impacts are already starting to be felt: the Middle East.

An ongoing challenge for the Middle-East

For many years, Jordanians, Israelis and Palestinians face water shortages, which is being compounded by climate change. How do the local populations, communities, NGOs and decision makers react to this menace and what is their response to respond to current and future challenges?

An original way to explore this regional laboratory

During this journey by bike across the region, we will meet key actors, for example those who attempt to restore a dialogue between different communities despite the numerous difficulties they face and we will also look at the questions of the distribution and utilisation of water. The narration will be dynamic as we intent to take the viewer on a journey of discovery with us, as if they were part of our team on location. Our approach to the subjects will be as fun and unstuffy as possible, but without falling into the trap of presenting banalities or oversimplifications of a complex reality. The viewers' attention will be kept thanks to the 'journey of discovery' concept, they will share the journey as though they too were on a bike with us. This concept has already been successfully tried and tested in other documentaries.

Henry_v_lo Henry Tidy during the Summer of 2010, Israel.

An experience that we will share when we are back in Europe

Upon our return, the film will be shown as a 52 minute version in High Schools and Universities, followed by presentation by a member of the team and a discussion about the subjects raised. The aim is to raise awareness about climate change and water issues. In fact, these issues will in the near future become issues that will affect us all. Our film, with in-depth bonuses about issues covered in the main film, will also be available in the form of a web-documentaire, providing a whole raft of educational information, including university research, extra interviews conducted during the voyage and fact-packs about the region, climate change, water and conflict.

Technical facts about Film

Name : Water, a chance for peace

Length : 52 mins (for the standard documentary)

Format : HD 1080p / ProRes 422 (HQ)

Languages : French – English

Filming : June and July 2013

Exploitation : October 2013

Weddoc : Klynt 2.0 Plateform (HTML5)

Film team

Julia

Julia Bourgon In her second year of study at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Grenoble, she joined the team in September 2012 after having spent a month and a half in Israel and the Palestinian territories. During this time, she completed a month-long internship in Ramallah with local NGO, the Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG), where she looked at development problems in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, specifically relating to hydraulics. In the preparation of our film project, she is focusing mostly on the logistics, fundraising and organisation.

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Léo Bigiaoui is passionate about film direction and editing, Leo has produced both photo and video over the last two years for festivals and clients. He joined the project because he has long wished to film a documentary. In his third year of study at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Grenoble, he will do a Master's degree in Transmedia over the next two years. He joined the team in September 2012 and is in charge of the technical and graphic operations of the project, including website creation and management, graphic design and cameraman during filming on location. To see his videos and photos: www.leobigiaoui.com

Alt-j Matilda - Music video directed by Leo Bigiaoui (September 2012)

Cosma

Cosma Tambaktis is particularly interested in the consideration of climate change in conflict situations, he finds the Middle East the perfect observational setting. In his third year of study at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Grenoble, and intending to complete a Master's degree in Integration and Change in the Mediterranean and Middle East, he has already been to Benin to work on water issues, particularly from a humanitarian perspective. Having joined the project in September 2012, Cosma is working on the educational aspect of the project.

Henryprofil

Henry Tidy is of British origins, but is now based in Grenoble, France. Former campaign manager for Friends of the Earth in Italy and in the UK, he acquired a profound knowledge of conflicts stemming from competition for natural resources - most notably water - in the Middle East, where he spent two years. Since 2005, he is also a Friends of the Earth representative on Mediterranean issues and has authored two reports on the involvement of young people in civil society for the "EuroMediterranean Platform". A native English speaker and English teacher at the Grenoble Politics Institute, he is well-experienced in a teaching environment. Henry also speaks fluent French and Italian. From 2008 to 2010, he completed a Master's degree in Audiovisual Communication, in part to reinforce his skills for the "Water a Chance for Peace" project. He also holds a Certificate in Political Science from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques of Grenoble, a Bachelor of Geography from the University of Nottingham (UK), and a Diploma in Geography from the Institut de Géographie Alpine of Grenoble. Other professional experiences include a posting with the Mayor of Grenoble and team leader for the United Nations in Haiti.

Research team

Alana

Alanna Attard is Australian-born with European roots. Alanna holds a Master's degree in Intercultural Conflict Management of the Alice Salomon Hochschule in Berlin. She wrote her thesis on the potential future obligations of the Australian government regarding hypothetical "climate-change refugees". Since her Bachelor's degree in Criminology and studies in Law, Alanna has specialised in universal human rights, international security and forced migration. She has worked with several NGOs and continues her research to this day. Having helped at the origins of the project in 2009, she rejoined the team in November 2012, and is primarily concerned with the theoretical aspects of the project, as well as English-French translation and fundraising.

Alexis

Alexis Aubert is currently completing his Master's degree in "Integration and Change in the Mediterranean and Middle East at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Grenoble. Following studies of Theatre at the national Conservatory, Alexis is focussing on the spread of culture. Passionate about the Arab world, he spent a month studying in Damascus and six months in Beirut between 2010 and 2012. He joined the team in May 2012, to participate in writing the scenario, provide research support, help with fundraising and the future dissemination of the film.

Uses of the film and web-documentary

→ In highschools

Octobre 2013 onwards: the 52-minute film (French and English versions) will be shown in schools. Through our internet website, we will also propose our film in the form of an entertaining and accessible educational web-documentaire.

→ In universities

September 2013 onwards: Events using our film on campus in France, with kit available for students further afield : premier showing of film, photo expositions, events in partnership with other student organisations, for example during the Week of Sustainable Development.

→ For the wider public

November 2013 : Our film will be available for the general public and organisations on our website in the form of a web-documentary.

The organisation of the filming

The planning is broken up into 6 phases, alternating between filming 'on the road' (weeks 1-3-5) and work weeks (semaines 2-4-6) in Tel-Aviv in the offices of Friends of the Earth Middle East when we will prepare the following week's filming and also start editing our footage. For more information about our journey, you can refer to our detailed presentation.

Parcours_small The route by bike

Context

The Middle East Geography of the region

Both animal and human populations share and depend on the same natural resources - freshwater catchment areas, groundwater aquifers, seas, flora and fauna. The Jordan River basin constitutes the most important freshwater source in this arid region. The Gulf of Aqaba is an extremely fragile ecosystem, containing one of the world's largest barrier reefs. At 400 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth and well known for its exceptional salinity.

These ecosystems are simultaneously coveted and threatened, as they are not renewable resources. The transformation of economic activity and the survival imperatives of regional populations have caused considerable change - the level of the Dead Sea decreases each year and the coral reef in the Gulf of Aqaba is in real danger of irreversible damage. The Middle East is a region where the effects of climate change are clearly visible and this is why it is interesting to engage young people in particular on the issue.

Dead_sea_level

Conflict over the last sixty years

It is difficult to think of the Middle East without conjuring images of the various conflicts that have taken over recent decades. Such insecurity has marked inhabitants relationships to environment, land and water. And to each other.

The film gives us the chance to present a short summary of the historic events of the region since 1945. We do not intend to explain the entire history of the region, but to increase comprehension of the issue by underlining the principal historical events and their relevance to water resources.

The present-day situation

Water is essential to human life. Access to clean drinking water is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, one in six people in the world do not enjoy this right, and the Middle East is particularly affected by the problem of water shortages. As early as 1966, the destruction of the Syrian dams upstream of the Sea of Galilee contributed to the outbreak of the Six Day War in 1967. It is obvious that states and governments prioritise the protection of their water resources, as demonstrated by the occupation of the Golan Heights, land ownership in the Jordan Valley and the construction of dams. The regional population is set to double over the coming two decades and rainfall is predicted to decrease. How can critical water shortages be avoided?

Present-day inter-state conflicts, which have only intensified since December 2010, are simultaneously the cause and the consequence of tensions relating to water resources. Such tensions are increased by population growth and expanding aridity due to climate change, and the sharing and distribution of water resources become critical environmental, political and economic issues.

970207148_100812-0034-palestine

Technical equipment

Image : Nikon D600 - Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 - Nikon 50mm f1.8 - GoProHD2

Sound : Zoom H4N - Micro cravate Sennheiser ME2 (Interview)

Accessories : Tripod Manfrotto 055XPROB - Steadicam Glidecam HD2000

Editing : Adobe première CS6 (Linear Film) - Klynt (Web-documentaire)

Roles

On the bike/Interviews : Henry Tidy

Filming/Editing : Léo Bigiaoui

Logistic/organisation/research : Cosma Tambaktis & Julia Bourgon

The project backers

Modus Operandi Established in Grenoble, France in 2006, the association Modus Operandi conducts research and training activities with the aim of spreading a constructive approach to conflict resolution. From social disturbances to armed confrontations or political crisis, conflict is a feared phenomenon. It is also perceived as a moment enabling social transformation. These periods of transition can only be beneficial to the durable resolution of conflict and the restoration of durable peace when there is also voluntary political and cognitive transformation. Modus Operandi employs this idea in the diffusion of its learning tools and instruments to actors and individuals concerned by conflict.

Friends of the Earth Middle East The team at Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) will participate in the production of the film. FoEME is an independent non-government organisation that focuses primarily on peace building via environmental issues. Its actions also concern issues relating to fundamental human rights, public health, education, culture and tolerance. Strongly implanted at a local level, it is the only cross-border environmental organisation present in the region, with offices in Amman in Jordan, in Tel Aviv in Israel, and in Bethlehem in the Palestinian Territories.

To follow our project : Twitter, Facebook and our website.

To download our detailed presentation, click here.

Contact : eaupourlapaix@modop.org

Thanks for your support !

The team!

Equiiiipe

L'eau ne tombe pas du ciel