Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video by Aishath Naajila

Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video by Aishath Naajila is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Silber in Filmdesign Competition Category.

SilberFilm· 2026

Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video

by Aishath Naajila

Client: Two Thousand Isles

A' Design Award in Silber Winner in Film Category

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The Design

About Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video

Buchtext: Der Film Maldivian Fishermen zeigt den traditionellen Thunfischfang mit Einzelrute und Leine auf den Malediven – eine nachhaltige Methode, die oft als Lebensader des Inselstaates beschrieben wird. Seit Generationen ist Thunfisch ein Grundnahrungsmittel, das das tägliche Leben auf allen Inseln stützt. Mit einem erzählerischen Ansatz, filmischen Bildern und einem immersiven Sounddesign fängt das Projekt geschickte Fischer ein, die in koordiniertem Rhythmus an Bord einer traditionellen Dhoni arbeiten, und bringt dieses Erlebnis auf eine globale Bühne.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Silber

Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video ist Gewinner des A' Design Award in Silber, einer enorm prestigeträchtigen Anerkennung für erstklassige, großartige und beeindruckende Spitzendesigns. Silber-Gewinner sind ungemein brillante und äußerst kreative Werke, die die herausragende Expertise, das Talent und den Scharfsinn ihrer Designer veranschaulichen. Von Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video wird erwartet, dass es ein wunderbares Vorzeigewerk ist, das bemerkenswert professionell und zutiefst innovativ ist. Dieses mit dem A' Design Award in Silber prämierte Design ist eine höchst bemerkenswerte, bewunderte Erfindung, die den Grenzen von Kunst, Wissenschaft, Design und Technologie zugutekommt und sie voranbringt. Maldivian Fishermen Primärfunktion: Video ist eine vielbeneidete Schöpfung, die Wünsche weckt, positive Gefühle vermittelt und Staunen und Verwunderung entfacht.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This is an independently produced documentary visual project capturing the traditional pole-and-line fishing practice in the Maldives. Created during COVID-19 while in isolation at sea, it combines cinematography, sound design, and immersive storytelling. Its strength lies in its authenticity, produced within real conditions of isolation, offering an intimate, unfiltered portrayal of Maldivian fishermen. The work stands out for its experiential approach, blending heritage, resilience, and cinematic realism.
Dimensions & Packaging: Shot aboard a 100-foot pole-and-line fishing dhoni, the project documents Maldivian fishermen working at sea with precise, coordinated movements resembling a disciplined system. Through aerial perspectives, it captures the ocean’s food chain in motion, sharks, skipjack tuna, and fishermen, framing these moments to reflect the deep connection between this traditional practice and the Maldives’ identity and way of life.
Tags: sustainable, fishing, pole and line, Maldives, tuna, ocean, documentry
Production Technology: Filmed on a Sony A7 III with 35mm, 85mm, and 70–200mm lenses, with aerials via DJI Phantom 4 and underwater footage on a GoPro during freediving, the project was produced independently,covering planning, real-time filming, editing, sound design, and colour grading. An unobtrusive approach allowed fishermen to work naturally, ensuring an authentic, unstaged portrayal without direction.
Design Challenge: The project faced logistical constraints, including limited equipment, a single drone battery requiring precise planning, and long waits for unpredictable moments at sea. The first four days saw no catch due to bait shortages, and underwater footage relied solely on a GoPro. Adapting strategically, key moments were captured to form an authentic narrative of the fishermen’s practice and the ocean’s food chain.
Research: Documentary visual research on sustainable pole-and-line fishing in the Maldives. Field-based observation and immersive filming were conducted over 8 days in March 2020 aboard a local fishing vessel during the COVID-19 period. Data was collected through photography, film, aerial, and underwater footage. Participants included local fishermen. The results highlight ecological balance, resilience, and coordination. The impact emphasizes cultural preservation and awareness of sustainable fishing practices.
Inspiration: Inspired by a lifelong curiosity about fishing in the Maldives, the project evolved through Two Thousand Isles, where travel deepened an interest in storytelling and lived experience. While learning freediving, the filmmaker joined an eight-day trip on a local boat, living at sea, waking before dawn and at midnight, eating the catch, and observing the ocean’s food chain in motion.
Project Duration: Filmed over eight days aboard a fishing vessel in March 2020, during the early stages of COVID-19, the project was later completed with full post-production, editing, sound design, and colour grading, independently carried out later that year.
Operation Flow: Operated on a traditional pole-and-line dhoni, the method relies on coordinated teamwork and timing rather than machinery. Fishermen attract skipjack tuna with live bait, triggering a feeding response where fish are hooked individually. Key moments, bait release, surface frenzy, precise catching, transform ocean activity into a sustainable harvest, reducing bycatch and ensuring quality, rooted in skill, patience, and harmony with marine life.
Patents: All the copyrights belong to Aishath Naajila, 2023.
Image Credits: Videography & Photography: Aishath Naajila