Goethe Pop Up Festival
Once there were rivers

To address the deteriorating conditions of the rivers in climate vulnerable Bangladesh, Dhaka-based Mahenaz Chowdhury and Berlin-based Simone Simonato created a documentary and discourse Pop Up called ‘Once There Were Rivers’. The film is available at Broqué.

By Mahenaz Chowdhury, Simone Simonato

Once there were rivers is about digging into the history of Bangladesh's rivers, specifically around the metropolitan Dhaka City, and how it has shaped our ecosystem, trades, cultures, crafts, and, thus - our cycle of life.
 

“Harboring over 700 rivers, this tiny nation has been an integral pillar of the world of textiles. We have thrived for centuries, harnessing our roots in the textile industry, from producing natural dyes to cotton to jute and turning them into one-of-a-kind garments that had stunned the world in awe and spectacle of our powerful art.”, states Mahenaz Chowdhury who is a sustainability scientist and zero-waste designer based in Dhaka.

With growing industrialization and urbanization to accommodate our rapid population, Bangladesh faces incredible numbers of issues around environmental equity and loss of craftswo*menship. The values of lives have changed and this documentary focuses on understanding these changes over time witnessed and experienced by the people who have lived by the rivers or had to migrate due to loss of land to flood and soil erosion.
 
“This project aims to show the world that the meaning of life is the connection between our nature and history. Once we understand who we are, we will be capable and driven to protect our heritage and our environment.”, says the other half of the Pop Up duo, Simone Simonato, a Brazilian fashion designer based in Germany, who upcycles textile waste from factories in Bangladesh into home and fashion accessories.

From 11 through 19 November 2021, multiple events took place on environmental challenges and a sustainable future, i.a. at the Independent University Bangladesh and at Demra by the river.
  The first film screening took place at Sonargaon, Narayanganj district together with the people interviewed for the documentary film, their families, and neighbors, hosted by the film maker Mahenaz Chowdhury and Goethe-Institut Bangladesh at Rajon Miah’s jamdani atelier.
Miah is the owner of Sonia Jamdani, who was one of the interviewees for the documentary.
  “As time passes, we fade into dust, but films like this, tell our story for the new generations to realize the importance of caring about our lives, our rivers and value our craft. I appreciate the initiative taken by Mahenaz in making such a beautiful film,” shares Rajon Miah.

Encapsulating the wholesome event in the midst of Sonargaon’s lush greenery, Mahenaz Chowdhury adds, “Without the rivers, there will be no life, we need to acknowledge as the nation’s growth depends on urbanization and industrialization, we cannot separate ourselves from nature. We have the responsibility to protect and conserve our ecosystem and for that we must contain consumerism in all possible ways.”
 
‘Once there were rivers’ was created and directed by Mahenaz Chowdhury, Founder and Zero-Waste Designer of Broqué, in collaboration with Simone Simonato, Founder of Sica. The Cinematographer & Production partner is Emad B.M Hassan with supporting materials from Goopy Bagha Productions Limited and Johan Angermann.