saving mes aynak
saving mes aynak earns 23rd award since 2014 release; dvd available nov. 8
it is easy to see why saving mes aynak goes round collecting ...
saving mes aynak is definitely worth your watch. it' s ...
news release: free film screening of ‘saving mes aynak’ at mcdaniel nov. 2
brent huffman is an award - winning documentary filmmaker and director of saving mes aynak .
urltoken saving mes aynak: qadir temori, brent e. huffman: movies & tv
“saving mes aynak” debuts this weekend in amsterdam at the international documentary film festival in amsterdam .
watch the exclusive clip from “saving mes aynak” below and visit the indiegogo campaign page here .
saving mes aynak premiered at the international documentary film festival amsterdam last november and follows archaeologist qadir temori and his fight to save the mes aynak site .
news release: free film screening of' saving mes aynak' at mcdaniel nov. 2 | mcdaniel college
huffman and “saving mes aynak” also have partnered with icarus films, one of the world' s leading distributors of documentary films. icarus will oversee the north american educational, home, and digital release of “saving mes aynak. ”
chicago not - for - profit documentary collective kartemquin films will release saving mes aynak free to the people of afghanistan .
the afghan archaeologists at mes aynak risk their lives everyday to preserve their cultural history. learn more about the sacrifices they make in this video, with footage from the documentary saving mes aynak .
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to stop the crumbling monasteries and ruins from being destroyed .
: i wonder if indian govt can influence afghanistan govt to save mes aynak. for saving of international heritage, is it po…
i created saving mes aynak to be a catalyst for change. my hope is that the documentary can actually save mes aynak by rallying international support to stop the destruction of this site scheduled for next year .
saving mes aynak has been selected for the prestigious fipa festival international de programmes audiovisuels, screening this january 21, 2015 in biarritz, france .
shot his documentary entitled saving mes aynak, which follows the archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save the site from imminent demolition .
brent huffman' s documentary
saving mes aynak
will screen six times at the international documentary film festival in amsterdam nov. 22 - 30
brent e. huffman presenting special advanced screening of
saving mes aynak
at the rubin museum of art in new york on dec. 18
brent e. huffman presenting special advance screening of
saving mes aynak
at the rubin museum of art in new york on dec. 18
professor and director of
saving mes aynak
brent e. huffman is honored to be selected as the president of the arkhaios film festival jury for the archaeology and culture film festival this october. (
saving mes aynak
won the grand prize at the festival back in 2015) urltoken
saving mes aynak, an award - winning documentary film that follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori in his campaign to save the mes aynak site in central logar province from demolition by a chinese company, has been released in afghanistan .
saving mes aynak director brent e. huffman appeared on cnn' s amanpour with christiane amanpour to discuss the dire situation currently facing this historic heritage site .
brent huffman' s documentary
saving mes aynak
will screen six times at the international documentary film festival in amsterdam nov. 22 - 30 ~ arcablog
the ending of mes aynak - - the end of its story - - hasn' t been written... and we have a chance to save the site .
featuring brent huffman, from the saving mes aynak chicago premiere panel discussion .
in traveling to the region on his own many times, “saving mes aynak” director brent e. huffman risked his life at the hands of land mines and taliban fighters .
ironically, mes aynak was also one of the earliest known copper mining centres in the world - where the precious material was mined and smelted using ancient technology used in coin production and in the creation of ancient buddhist artifacts. if mes aynak were to be tragically destroyed, saving mes aynak would be the only visual record that this wondrous city ever existed .
in traveling to the region on his own many times, “ saving mes aynak ” director brent e. huffman risked his life at the hands of landlines and taliban fighters .
summary: saving mes aynak, a 2014 award - winning documentary film, chronicles one afghan archaeologist’s fight to save a 5, 000 - year - old buddhist site from ruin .
gilded buddha head discovered at mes aynak. copyright © brent e. huffman. all rights reserved
saving mes aynak, from kartemquin films, the producers of life itself and the interrupters, examines the conflict between cultural preservation and economic opportunity, through the lens of the afghan archaeologists and local villagers who live and work near mes aynak. called ,
a doc of crucial immediacy... advocacy filmmaking at its best and most chilling ,
by indiewire, saving mes aynak is both a powerful and moving film, and an inspiring call to action .
brent huffman, the director behind the new documentary “saving mes aynak, ” tells the story of one of afghanistan’s archaeological treasures and discusses the threats it faces from a chinese mining company .
brent e. huffman, director of saving mes aynak, has not returned to afghanistan since completing thefilm’s production work as he allegedly received kidnapping and death threats from insurgents controlling the area .
the filmmakers behind saving mes aynak have announced a global screening day to spread awareness about a 5, 000 - year - old buddhist archaeological site in afghanistan on the brink of destruction .
brent huffman' s documentary saving mes aynak will premiere at the international documentary film festival in amsterdam this week. here' s a list of the show times. a synopsis of the film :
to the segment on the november 19 pbs newshour by frank carlson ,
in' saving mes aynak,' a real - life indiana jones fights to protect afghanistan' s buddhist heritage
.
# savemesaynak day is finally here! 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. the more noise we make, the more the afghanistan government, chinese state - owned mining company, and unesco will listen. join us to make history !
the award - winning documentary saving mes aynak was a hit at idfa 2014 and full frame 2015, but more than just a documentary it’s also harnessing an activist campaign to save this ancient site .
so mes aynak and those who are working there to protect the site need our help more than ever .
“saving mes aynak” has premiered at a selection of high profile film festivals including the international documentary film festival amsterdam (idfa), full frame documentary film festival, american documentary festival palm springs and dokufest kosovo .
kartemquin films will make director brent e. huffman’s documentary, “ saving mes aynak, ” available for free to the people of afghanistan, the chicago - based not - for - profit documentary collective announced .
the award - winning film saving mes aynak follows archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old buddhist archeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition by a chinese state - owned mining company, who plan to destroy mes aynak to mine for $ 100 billion worth of copper .
saving mes aynak examines the conflict between cultural preservation and economic opportunity through the lens of the afghan archaeologists and local villagers who work and live near mes aynak. qadir temori and his fellow afghan archaeologists face what seems an impossible battle against the chinese, the taliban and local politics to save their cultural heritage from likely erasure .
brent e. huffman gives an in - depth interview on the trials of making saving mes aynak with joe corey of insidepulse, following our screening at the prestigious full frame documentary film festival in durham, nc .
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese... see full summary »
with only ten percent of the site excavated, some believe mes aynak holds historic keys that could unlock mysteries of afghan history—and the history of buddhism itself. as conflict, globalization, and economic opportunity come to blows in afghanistan, saving mes aynak chronicles the efforts of those risking their lives to preserve a slice of afghan heritage .
mes aynak is a 5, 000 - year - old archeological site that sits in the mountains outside of kabul. it is rich with historic artifacts, such asthisfine golden buddha. the site sits on top of a vast deposit of copper that will soon be mined in an open pit. (brent huffman / saving mes aynak )
here' s a link to the petition to president hamid karzai to prevent the destruction of the archaeological site mes aynak and a relevant facebook page, the buddhas of aynak .
that the u. s. military army corp of engineers allocated one million dollars to support artifact preservation in mes aynak .
the rubin museum of art, in co - presentation with nyu' s institute for the study of the ancient world, will show the documentary
saving mes aynak
on wednesday at 7 p. m. on dec. 18. the director brent e. huffman will be at the special advance screening on december 18 and talk afterward about mes aynak .
in order to gain attention to the issue, the film will screen worldwide on july 1st with vhx streaming access purchased only through indiegogo. the filmmakers are trying to raise $ 50, 000 in order to share the film and convey the importance of saving mes aynak. “the more funds we raise, the more people will see the film and know the beauty and importance of mes aynak, and the greater the chance of mes aynak being saved, ” write the filmmakers on their indiegogo page .
fair observer' s will calhoun publishes two - part interview with documentarian brent h. huffman on
the race to save mes aynak
) that archaeologists may only have until june to work at mes aynak unless something can be worked out once the excavation begins .
fair observer' s will calhoun publishes two - part interview with documentarian brent e. huffman on
the race to save mes aynak
mes aynak is one of the world' s great heritage sites. the history there is irreplaceable... yet, it' s threatened by destruction this year (2015) by a chinese - state owned mining company. see the beauty of mes aynak in this short video .
“the more that people are able to see the film, and the more who sign the urltoken petition asking afghanistan president ashraf ghani to request unesco make mes aynak a world heritage site, the greater the chances that mes aynak and its invaluable history can be saved, ” said huffman .
mes aynak is grand and awe - inspiring and has the magical ability to lure people (like me) from all over the world to fall in love with its mysterious beauty. archaeologists estimate that only 10 percent of mes aynak has been discovered - only the tip of an enormous iceberg .
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese state - owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself. saving mes aynak examines the conflict between cultural preservation and economic opportunity through the lens of the afghan archaeologists and local villagers who work and live near mes aynak. qadir temori and his fellow afghan archaeologists face what seems an impossible battle against the chinese, the taliban and local politics to save their cultural heritage from likely erasure .
evanston, ill. - - the reva & david logan foundation has awarded a $ 50, 000 social justice grant to northwestern university professor brent huffman and kartemquin films to help raise awareness about the plight of an ancient archeology site featured in the documentary film “saving mes aynak. ”
sma director brent e. huffman appeared on huffington post live with marc lamont hill to talk about mes aynak and the global movement to save it .
but that doesn' t mean that mes aynak is by any means secure. huffman says he is doing his part to get the word out .
the outreach campaign has three goals: to preserve mes aynak as a protected cultural heritage site; to widen public perspective of afghanistan' s cultural heritage; and to strengthen the archaeology department at the afghan ministry of culture in kabul to protect mes aynak and other important historical sites in afghanistan, huffman said .
china metallurgical group corp (mcc) wants to extract the $ 100bn worth of copper lying beneath the ruins of the ancient buddhist city of mes aynak .
unfortunately, the situation at mes aynak has taken a turn for the worse recently. afghan archaeologists working at the site need international support more than ever .
on the arca blog you may read additional posts on mes aynak' s threatened by copper excavation; dangerous precedent; extension; and kickstart funds usage .
now the afghan archaeologists can accurately record record their findings at the buddhist city at mes aynak and other archaeology sites in afghanistan ,
huffman wrote .
saving mes aynak, a 2014 award - winning kartemquin documentary film, chronicles one afghan archaeologist’s fight to save a 5, 000 - year - old buddhist site from ruin. as a chinese mining company closes in on mes aynak, hoping to extract $ 100 billion dollars’ worth of copper buried underneath, qadir temori and his team of archaeologists face an almost impossible battle to thwart the imminent demolition amid embroiled conflict with the taliban and local political play .
the governor of logar province (where mes aynak is located) was murdered last month - journalists speculate it was due to his support of the chinese deal .
saving mes aynak stands not only as a reflection of these courageous efforts to protect and preserve invaluable cultural heritage, but also represents a voice for the voiceless - a vehicle where afghans can speak out on camera against these injustices happening all around them. now these passionate, courageous voices will finally be heard .
the film, produced and directed by huffman, follows the frantic efforts of archaeologists working to save the ancient buddhist site of mes aynak in afghanistan from imminent destruction .
saving mes aynak
airs on the program
witness
on al jazeera america on saturday at 10 p. m. et / 7 p. m. pst. you can also stream the film on the kartemquin films website for $ 9. 99 (or for free if you live in afghanistan) .
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent destruction. a chinese state - owned mining company plans to mine the copper deposits beneath it; the operation will demolish the ancient city together with the entire mountain range .
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races to save the mes aynak site from imminent demolition by china metallurgical group corporation (mcc), a chinese state - owned mining company ready to harvest an estimated $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper. located within afghanistan’s taliban - controlled logar province, mes aynak is a 5, 000 year - old bronze age site and 2, 000 year - old buddhist silk road city of historical and cultural importance archeologists have stated could potentially be comparable to machu picchu or pompeii. only 10% of the site has so far been excavated, but corruption is rampant, and the site could be destroyed at any time. urltoken
located 18 miles south of kabul, the ancient site of mess aynak was rediscovered in the mid - 20th century. now archaeologists have less than four months to extract artifacts from mes aynak before a chinese company begins mining the world' s second largest copper deposit .
“saving mes aynak” has won more than ten domestic and international awards and will be screened around the world in the upcoming months, including at the louvre in paris as part of the film international conference on art, 9th edition. it will also air in india, nepal, australia, czech republic, canada, singapore and hong kong .
that rich archaeological heritage is now in jeopardy as a chinese state - run mining company, which paid $ 3 billion for rights to mine the site in 2007, moves forward with plans to turn the site into an open pit mine next year. and that threat is the subject of a new documentary, “ saving mes aynak. ”
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese state - owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself .
the site is called mes aynak, which means “little source of copper, ” and contains an estimated $ 100 billion in deposits. but mes aynak is also home to the remains of a 2, 000 - year - old buddhist city, as well as statues, paintings, figurines and other artifacts from the previous civilizations dating back some 5, 000 years .
# savemesaynak day on july 1 will spark worldwide protest, conversation, and action around saving mes aynak, an award - winning documentary that exposes a chinese company' s plan to turn a 5, 000 year - old archeological site in afghanistan into a copper mine, destroying priceless buddhist relics. thousands of people will watch the film together worldwide .
this cultural travesty serves as the basis of brent huffman' s documentary ,
saving mes aynak ,
which tells the story of one afghan archeologist' s struggle to excavate as much of the site as possible before the mining company takes it over — all while dealing with vanishing budgets and dodging improvised explosive devices unhelpfully deposited by the local taliban .
all funds raised, the statement adds, will go towards supporting the efforts in saving the historic site, and in educating people about the importance of preserving cultural heritage .
it is easy to see why saving mes aynak goes round collecting award after award. i had never heard of the ruins of mes aynak until i came across this story online. i was really intrigued by the fact such a huge site exists and yet is so little known. i visited the saving mes aynak website and requested a screening of the film in my local town. i am so glad i did. this has to be one of the best documentaries i have ever seen. basically it is the story of the afghan archaeologists who are up against a chinese mining company and the taliban while trying to preserve this little known site in the mountains of afghanistan. beautifully filmed, beautifully told, this story brought a tear to my eye and made me wish i could do more to help preserve such an amazing site. the love of the archaeologists for their cultural heritage alone makes this worth seeing .
documentarian brent e. huffman raised $ 35, 200 on kickstart for the buddhas of mes aynak. on friday he announced on facebook (the buddhas of aynak) that new computers and cameras have been purchased from 10% of those kickstart funds for the afghan archaeology office in kabul .
huffman called the grant a “game - changing development” because it allows him to hire an outreach team and to keep traveling with the film to lecture about the importance and significance of mes aynak .
only 10 percent of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself .
the 5, 000 - year - old history at mes aynak, it' s world history ,
says huffman .
and that is something we should all care about .
in the days since
saving mes aynak
premiered at the international documentary film festival in amsterdam late last year, the film has helped draw international attention to the importance of this buried city, which drew on influences from as far west as greece and as far east as china. (the guardian has a terrific overview of the site' s history. )
the us premiere of saving mes aynak will be coming soon but is still yet to be announced, but we are delighted to present an exclusive sneak preview on march 6, 2015 7: 00 pm at northwestern university' s block museum. this free screening will be attended by brent huffman, who is a faculty member at northwestern' s medill school. get more details .
this archaeology is not just about distant civilizations lost in time, mes aynak is about how archaeology, politics, economics, imperialism, terrorism and cultural identity are in conflict right here and now .
kartemquin is currently offering streams, downloads, dvd / blu - rays and public screenings of “saving mes aynak” through their campaign on indiegogo. an initial 10% of the $ 50, 000 campaign goal of raised funds will also go directly to funding archeologists preserving the site. should the filmmakers exceed their goal before midnight pdt on june 26, they will double that direct donation to 20% .
in addition to the gigantic buddhas destroyed by the taliban in 2001, another buddhist site, mes aynak, in afghanistan is being threatened by the country' s desire to improve its economy by extracting natural resources .
located in taliban - infested central logar province, mes aynak is a 5, 000 year - old bronze age site and 2, 000 year - old buddhist silk road city of massive historical and cultural importance .
before midnight on july 1, which has been declared save mes aynakday globally, according to the statement .
“in mes aynak, the silence gives me a sense of connection to the past, ” huffman said. “my mind floods with what life was like in this vibrant city. recklessly destroying it is like erasing history. ”
on september 15, 2015, we had the honor of screening saving mes aynak to a full a theater at the world - renowned carnegie endowment for international peace, one of the most important and influential think tanks in the world. here is the full audio from the discussion and q & a following the screening, which was moderated by tom carver, carnegie' s vp for communications and strategy (and former bbc correspondent) .
mes aynak, which translates into “little source of copper”, is a site located 40 km southeast of kabul in central logar province. it contains afghanistan’s largest copper deposit and remains of an ancient settlement with more than 400 buddhist relics .
a german camera and kartemquin films co - production saving mes aynak a film by brent e. huffman fixer / translater najibullah sedeqe post production supervisor ryan gleeson co - editor matt lauterbach consulting editor jim klein edited by brent e. huffman original score homayoun sakhi cinematography & amp; sound brent e. huffman executive producers julia reichert gordon quinn justine nagan & brian gilman produced by brent e. huffman xiaoli zhou & zak piper directed by brent e. huffman
saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese state - owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself. qadir temori and his fellow afghan archaeologists face what seems an impossible battle against the chinese, the taliban and local politics to save their cultural heritage from likely erasure .
saving mes aynak follows the archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese state - owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars’ worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself. qadir temori and his fellow afghan archaeologists face what seems an impossible battle against the chinese, the taliban and local politics to save their cultural heritage from likely erasure .
isis destroyed thousands of years of human history when they sacked the mosul museum in iraq. we could not protect those artifacts, but we can protect mes aynak from corporate demolition. will we take a stand to stop this senseless destruction ?
film synopsis saving mes aynak follows afghan archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save a 5, 000 - year - old archaeological site in afghanistan from imminent demolition. a chinese state - owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated, though, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself. qadir temori and his fellow afghan archaeologists face what seems an impossible battle against the chinese, the taliban and local politics to save their cultural heritage from likely erasure .
a magnificent buddhist settlement along the silk road, mes aynak can be the most important archaeological discovery in a generation. the excavated fraction of the site reveals that future digs will possibly redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself .
hannah bloch has covered afghanistan since 1996, when she was named time magazine’s first full - time correspondent for pakistan and afghanistan, a post she held for six years. her story “rescuing mes aynak
appears in the september 2015 issue of national geographic .
mes aynak, located in the mountains east of kabul, came to the attention of modern archaeologists in the 1960s when a french geologist surveyed the area for copper deposits, and instead found a buried ancient city that covered an estimated 2. 5 square miles .
the heart of
saving mes aynak
is qadir temori, the good - humored afghan archaeologist who has poured his efforts into rescuing what he can of the ancient site before the clock runs out. in the film, he is seen facing everything from inclement weather, to threatening text messages from the taliban, to government officials who seem unable or unwilling to pay the archaeological staff or supply them with basic materials (despite the fact that millions in international funds have been invested in the project) .
documentarian brent e. huffman has announced on his kickstarter page, the buddhas of mes aynak, that archaeologists have six to nine more months to remove relics and artifacts from the ancient monastery in afghanistan before the site is transformed into the world' s second largest copper mine .
team came home with the best documentary award - international one - hour film competition at the cinemambiente international environmental film festival. the festival, in its 18th year, took place in torino, italy from october 6 - 11, 2015. cinemambiente serves as one of the leading environmental film festivals in the world. in awarding this prize, cinemambiente recognizes saving mes aynak for its
balanced presentation and concise treatment of the political, cultural, human, social, and environmental issues in present day afghanistan .
congratulations to the
the dream situation for me would be to save mes aynak and do a proper archaeological dig, save everything, and make it a tourist destination. but i think that will only happen with massive public support for the site, and unesco would have to come in and assist archaeologists .
the remains of mes aynak of more than 300 buddha statues and stupas were scheduled to be destroyed at the end of 2012 (here' s an arca interview with mr. huffman last september on the site' s endangerment and background on archaeologists' efforts to protect the site) .
un excellent documentaire sur l' archéologie en afghanistan et sur les fouilles de mes aynak, un magnifique site bouddhiste en danger face aux mines de cuivre gérées par une entreprise chinoise. une terrible bataille engagée par qadir ternori un archéologue très motivé. espérons que le temps jouera en sa faveur .
saving mes aynak is definitely worth your watch. it' s probably the last motion picture record of this historic archaeological site in afghanistan. it is a thorough and significant record of china' s terrifying reach across the world for the natural resources and sovereignty of underdeveloped countries. the film is also a rare record of people' s coming together from all corners of the world with the shared understanding that culture and history shall never be overshadowed by economic gains of a few. real, educational, and exquisite. watch with your friends, kids, or students !
by director brent huffman has continued to spark dialogue and make headlines regarding the imminent destruction of a mes aynak, one of the world' s most significant archeological excavations, by a chinese state - owned mining company eager to harvest $ 100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins .
two kilometers far from kabul, in logar province, it’s possible to see a magnificent piece of afghanistan’s history, a treasure hidden in the bends of time and now revealed. here lays mes aynak a 5000 - year - old archaeological site, an entire buddhist city of 450, 000 square meters .
“afghanistan is not a rich country and they are under immense pressure to develop their mineral resources. but it will be very hard for anyone who sees the beauty of mes aynak, and the corruption going on, to still think mining this site will be beneficial for the country, ” he says .
: watch the film here on july 1 - # savemesaynak day in afghanistan? watch for free! watch the broadcast on witness - al jazeera at 20 gmt on al jazeera english. see the beauty of mes aynak, and take a stand to stop its destruction. www. savingmesaynak. com .
saving mesaynak, which had a world premiere at the international documentary film festival 2014, exposes the plans ofchina metallurgical group corporation (mcc), a chinese state - owned mining company, to turn a 5, 000 archeological siteinto a copper mine, destroying old buddhist relics .
is celebrating a successful year of reaching audiences all over the world, raising global awareness about the contentious fate of the mes aynak historic site. 2016 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for our film and its awareness and outreach campaign, as we can now announce fresh funding and distribution partners .
buried in the copper - rich mountains, today mes aynak is contended by the archeologists on one side and by a chinese mining consortium, that bought the entire site for 3 billion of dollars. every day many brave archaeologists risk their lives to reach the site, facing the taliban and local politics’ threats .
who knows what still lays hidden, buried under a mountain of sand and earth? at the heart of the silk road, mes aynak was a melting pot of asian and middle eastern cultures where travellers and buddhists on pilgrimages could trade their wares, exchange cultural perspectives and even worship together at the same location .
sadly, when the taliban blew up the buddhas of bamiyan, people were horrified and shocked and it really rallied them. however, it was too late. my fear is that the same thing will happen with mes aynak, that there will be silence until it is destroyed and then there will be outrage .
“afghanistan is the wild west with so much corruption, ” huffman said. “what i don’t like about the argument of mining ‘responsibly’ and ‘preserving’ cultural sites is that in the end it won’t be good for afghanistan. the money will be lost in corruption, the high - level jobs will go to the chinese, and the locals will get the low paid slave labor jobs. plus, the toxins left over from mining will be in the ground permanently. advocates for mes aynak have tried to get cooperation between the mining and cultural preservation but it doesn’t seem that anyone involved sees any value in the mes aynak site. ”
saving mes aynak world premiered in november 2014 at idfa, the world’s largest documentary festival, and debuted in the us in 2015 at american documentary film festival in palm springs and at full frame documentary festival. it has won festivals wards in the us and in iran, and was praised as “advocacy filmmaking at its best… unique and immediate, ” by indiewire. following # savemesaynak day, the film will be broadcast in a number of countries around the world, including on al jazeera america and al jazeera english, and will be available to screen to a combination of educational institutions and community venues .
i want to go back and present the film personally in afghanistan, but even if that is not possible we want the film to be seen there above all else. this is our gift to the people of afghanistan, but also a challenge to those with the power to reverse this decision and save mes aynak .
follows archaeologist qadir temori as he races against time to save this 5, 000 - year - old buddhist archeological site from imminent demolition. 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 and the history of buddhism itself .
a petition to president hamid karzai requests the preservation of the ancient site of mes aynak. here' s a link to the petition. another petition sponsored by the association for protection of afghan archaeology (apaa) with more than 13, 000 signatures asks unesco to include mess aynak, afghanistan, on the endangered sites and the world heritage list. afghanistan ratified unesco' s 1970 convention in 1979. two cultural sites are listed on the world heritage list: cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the bamiyan valley (2003) and minaret and archaeological remains of jam (2002). here' s a link to the penn museum blog with a post about mess aynak .
a chinese state - owned mining company plans to demolish the site to harvest an estimated $ 100 billion worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins. but only 10 percent of mes aynak has been excavated, and some believe future discoveries at the site have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and the history of buddhism itself .
mes aynak is the living proof of an ancient and golden past, in which the region was the meeting place of people from different cultures and faiths. a place at the heart of the silk road and today protected by 200 armed guards. in the last years the site has been looted and today it is under the government custody .
documentary filmmaker brent e. huffman will return to mes aynak this december for what some archaeologists call the ‘funeral’ of the ancient site which will be cratered to extract copper (valued at over 100 billion dollars) underground, potentially setting a dangerous precedent for other ancient sites on top of gold, copper, oil and coal mines in afghanistan .
an archaeologist’s race against time to save a 2000 - year - old buddhist archaeological site in afghanistan threatened by a chinese copper mine and taliban attacks. only 10% of mes aynak has been excavated and experts believe future discoveries have the potential to redefine the history of afghanistan and of buddhism itself. a conflict between cultural preservation and economic opportunity .
“my documentary finishes in december which feels like the definitive end to the site, ” huffman said. “i started out with the goal of capturing what is there and to record the difficult process of salvaging objects. but i have come to hope that maybe i can help raise awareness to actually save mes aynak, or at least postpone its destruction. ”
“i want to go back and present the film personally in afghanistan, but even if that is not possible we want the film to be seen there above all else, ” says mr. huffman. “this is our gift to the people of afghanistan, but also a challenge to those with the power to reverse this decision and save mes aynak. ”
“i want to go back and present the film personally in afghanistan, but even if that is not possible we want the film to be seen there above all else. this is our gift to the people of afghanistan, but also a challenge to those with the power to reverse this decision and save mes aynak, ” said huffman in a statement .
the same tragic fate will soon happen to mes aynak unless we take immediate action. we have the power to stop this senseless destruction. it is my duty both as a filmmaker and as a global citizen to get this film seen by a massive global audience that can put pressure on the afghan government to stop mining and save this incredible site for future generations .
the alliance for the restoration of cultural heritage (arch international) explains in a video the cultural importance of the monasteries and fortifications of mess aynak and the other pottery and jewelry found at this 5, 000 site. the organization asks that responsible mining methods be used to help preserve the most important archaeological sites. here in a cnn video, documentary filmmaker brent e. huffman also shows the archaeological digs at mes aynak which will be closed in december. according to mr. huffman, it would take 30 - 35 years to properly excavate this site .
: there’s a petition on my facebook page with almost 70, 000 signatures, but i think the best thing would be if a celebrity or politician would speak up and say that the us should work to preserve mes aynak. i think that would really rally support. i think if we could get hundreds of thousands of signatures — that would really save the site .
on the website and the facebook fan page people can be updated about the situation and finding out how to get involved in this important rescue mission, because if until today mes aynak is survived it’s also thanks to the work of people like brent e. huffman, archeologists like qadir temori but also of people around the world that with their support showed their love for afghanistan .
this is a film that is optimistic for a better future for afghanistan, a country plagued by over 30 years of perpetual war, yet containing one of the richest cultural histories in the world. this documentary is dedicated to afghan archaeologists, like qadir temori, who face constant threats from the taliban, private industry, and their own government to save the ancient archaeological site mes aynak .
director brent e. huffman has been unable to return to afghanistan since he finished production. filming solo at the mes aynak site, he received kidnapping and death threats from the taliban, who control the area. the film shows that several archeologists have also faced violence and even been killed while working at the site. extensive looting of priceless buddhist relics is regularly taking place and corruption is rampant .
“the resilience of this site amazes me, ” huffman said. “it has been through so much as a major hub on the silk road. the murals and statues are so fragile and yet they have survived harsh winters, floods and snow and fighting amidst land mines and rocket attacks. yet mes aynak still manages to survive and pull people in who fall in love with it and want to save it. ”
in its day, the ancient city of mes aynak was a wonder of temples, monasteries, monuments and statuary. located in the mountains about 90 minutes east of kabul, in afghanistan, this important silk road hub bears hellenistic, persian, central asian, tibetan, indian and chinese influences. it' s peak was between the 5th and 7th centuries ad, when buddhism was on the rise throughout the hindu kush .
mes aynak, a 5, 000 year - old treasure trove over 500, 000 square meters in size, is truly one of the unseen wonders of the world. comparable to pompeii and machu picchu, these sprawling ruins feature hundreds of life - size or larger buddha statues, dozens of temples, hidden caverns and thousands of priceless artifacts like birch - bark manuscripts, gold and copper coins, jewelry and intricate hand painted murals .
exposes a chinese company' s plan to turn a 5, 000 year - old archeological site in afghanistan into a copper mine, destroying priceless buddhist relics. a team of afghan archeologists led by qadir temori races against time to uncover finds that have the potential to rewrite the history of the region. brent e. huffman' s award - winning documentary has become a focal point of an international movement to preserve the mes aynak site .
huffman: that’s sort of when things get complicated. i’m sure the site was known about before this, but the first written evidence that the site was traveled to was in the 1960s by french archaeologists. i don’t know if there was any significant study of the site at the time. the site was left completely unprotected. no protection or way to visit the site was ever put in place, so mes aynak has been heavily looted since the 1960s .
huffman plans to return to mes aynak in december. “in october there will be some 3 - d reconstruction work and i will send someone to film that if i can’t go. i will be there in december for what the archaeologists call the ‘funeral’ and i hope we can stop it from happening. there is something so disrespectful about blowing up the site. it’s troubling to have no reverence for the past as if someone is looting your grandparents’ cemetery. ”
mining, originally slated to begin this year, has been delayed by several factors, including the documentary film, security and the chinese economy. “but the afghan ministry of mines is still pushing for mining to happen as soon as possible and the site is still under threat, ” huffman said. “my work and the film’s work – to raise awareness and save mes aynak – is still not done. but i will never give up the effort or give up hope. ”
“my fear is that mes aynak will be a precedent and that every site with gold, copper, oil or iron underneath will also be dealt with by this same standard. this is what happens to cultural heritage. this bronze age site will be gone when the mountain range is destroyed and all the afghans will be left with is a toxic crater that will pollute the river and the environment. the future of afghanistan will be a rush job of leaving polluted craters that will destroy the environment and the cultural heritage. ”
“most afghans don’t know that this is happening because there’s been no coverage in the local media, ” huffman said. “americans think of afghanistan is terrorists or victims or terrorism but it’s not that – afghans are warm, friendly and open - minded people. the buddhist sites are a testimony to afghanistan’s past. the taliban are an external force that destroyed the buddhas of bamiyan and now the chinese mining company will do the same thing at mes aynak. afghans need someone like unesco to push back against these money deals that don’t care about cultural heritage, but this is not happening today. ”
will calhoun interviewed brent huffman in the two - part article ,
the race to save mes aynak
( fair observer, feb. 1 and feb. 2). brent e. huffman, an associate professor at northwestern university’s medill school of journalism, has been working on a documentary film about the site (see previous posts on the arca blog). huffman has been awarded a grant from the macarthur foundation to complete his documentary, hopefully by this summer. what can people do? huffman tells calhoun that celebrity appeal would be helpful. here' s an excerpt from the interview :
will be streaming on netflix. this is a major opportunity for the film to be seen by american audiences and is now available with spanish subtitles, making it easier to share at bilingual workplaces and schools. the brent huffman - directed film has won 25 awards in total since it’s release in 2014 including both the grand prize and audience prize at the 2016 icronos film festival. for even more features, purchase the dvd, which includes 15 minutes of never - seen - before scenes from mes aynak, as well as closed captions and foreign language subtitles in french, german, italian, and japanese .
the mes anyak archaeological site was rediscovered in the 1960s. researchers now believe the site not only provides artifacts from the 1st through the 5th centuries but also going back to the bronze age. the 400, 000 square meter site was never fully excavated or protected from looting during the decades of almost continuous fighting in afghanistan.
saving mes aynak is a 2014 independent documentary film , directed , produced , shot and edited by brent e. huffman . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 
saving mes aynak is a 2014 independent documentary film, directed, produced, shot and edited by brent e. huffman. 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. 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. 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. 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.
saving mes aynak is a 2014 independent documentary film, directed, produced, shot and edited by brent e. huffman. 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. 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. 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. 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.