Pieme Pahite
Pieme Pahite is the American Indian word for the Los Angeles River, a river that was robbed of everything, even of a proper name.
The river's flow through the city is being shown in the images. The river is largely unknown even among locals.
In some places the water is inconspicuous and hidden like something to be ashamed of; elsewhere it is lined with parks that testify that a river can uplift a city's quality of life. Frequently, factories line its shores. Near the Hollywood Studios the seasonal trickle is pressed into concrete, and in L.A. Downtown, the mostly dry concrete river bed serves as a graffiti-sprayed meeting place for gangs and backdrop for action film scenes.
Title cards narrate the river’s story.
For fear of flooding, the riverbed was put in concrete in the 1930ies. Over the years, the polluted water was forgotten for over 50 years. Only since the 80ies, awareness for the river's importance has been alerted.
However, on the mostly uncontrolled river banks ecological and social problems of the city are tangible.
With support of the Villa Aurora artists in residence program.
https://www.vatmh.org/de/stipendiaten-jahresliste/years/2009.html
Director Anna Faroqhi, Haim Peretz Cinematography Haim Peretz Editing Anna Faroqhi Production Anna Faroqhi Film Production Production Year 2009 Format digital file (filmed on miniDV), 1: 1,66 Length 18 min. First Screening 6. Nov. 2009, Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin