Harvest Moon

The mountains near the city of Arslanbob, Kirghizstan, are home to a highly biodiverse forest brimming with different species of nut trees. This is where Bolot Tagaev's family lives. Zaheed Mawani documents the farmers' daily lives as they prepare for the harvest: their work, traditions, multi-generational cooperation. It is a way of life on the verge of disappearing, its fortunes tied to an ecosystem being undermined by deforestation. The filmmaker captures not only actions, but stories: the myths, legends and histories passed down from generation to generation, in some cases all the way back to the time of Alexander the Great, in others the living memory of Soviet times. A touching portrait built on a foundation of keen observation and affectionate humour.