Watching: Zanzibar: Trouble in Paradise

Overview

Zanzibar: Trouble in Paradise depicts a group of women who gained financial independence and stability in an otherwise male dominated culture through seaweed farming, until climate change killed the seaweed. The film follows the women, whose ingenuity led them to a new crop, more resistant to climate change: sea sponges. However, new challenges occurred; combating bacteria and climate change threatening their new product as well. In bringing the story of these women to light, the film demonstrates their resiliency and individual struggles facing the effects of climate change. While many documentaries focus on the science, Zanzibar shines a light on the disaster's impact upon those least likely to be heard.