Film Title: The Color of Water
Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
From an early age, I found storytelling to be a passion of mine, using artistic mediums to communicate emotions, words, and ideas to a large audience. As a college student, I capitalized on this passion and began to study filmmaking and journalism, where I’ve continued to grow as a storyteller in the mediums of film, photography, and investigative/creative writing. I enjoy storytelling with the entirety of my being, as it helps me understand the world around me while championing the voices of those who remain relatively silent. There is no other way to say it when it comes to environmental and social issues in Tighmert: there is a need for change. Years of drought have led to increased water scarcity, with local communities lacking access to sustainable ways to reuse water. Agriculture has led to a depletion of groundwater, along with oases, putting heavy strain on the arid climate of Morocco, while the building of dams in major rivers has contributed to a systematic decline in species that rely on bodies of water for survival. Water, thus, is an incredibly dynamic and pressing issue in Morocco’s economic, political, and social climate, only set to worsen as global temperatures rise and rainfall is diminished in Northwestern Africa. Henceforth, my film attempted to approach water rights and its depletion through an anthropocentric lens, utilizing local voices that have suffered at the hands of water scarcity, while similarly addressing the environmental impacts of water scarcity. My film utilized a mix of expository documentary style, observational documentary techniques, and poetic documentary style, and was based on the active participation of the people around me. Respect is integral to filmmaking, and I film-made with respect, intentionality, and a clear idea that I am simply the one pressing the shutter. Overall, the film attempted to speak to the vibrance of human nature in rural areas while critiquing those in power responsible for the drought besieging Tighmert by underscoring the beauty in their customs, spiritual beliefs, tradition, hard work, and attitude toward life.
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Ferguson, Liam, "Film Title: The Color of Water" (2025). Morocco: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation. 13.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/mor2/13