Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo by Aishath Naajila

Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo by Aishath Naajila is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Kyautar A' Design Award ta Azurfa in Fim Competition Category.

AzurfaFim· 2026

Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo

by Aishath Naajila

Client: Two Thousand Isles

Kyautar A' Design Award ta Azurfa Winner in Fim Category

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Colors

The Design

About Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo

Rubutun Littafi: Fim ɗin Maldivian Fishermen yana nuna al'adar kamun kifin tuna ta hanyar sanda ɗaya da igiya a ƙasar Maldives, wata hanya mai ɗorewa da ake yawan siffanta ta a matsayin jinin rayuwar wannan ƙasa ta tsibirai. Tun tsararraki, tuna ya kasance babban abincin da ke tallafawa rayuwar yau da kullum a duk faɗin tsibiran. Ta hanyar amfani da salon ba da labari tare da hotuna irin na fina-finai da ƙirar sauti mai jan hankali, wannan aikin yana nuna gwanaye masu kamun kifi suna aiki cikin daidaitaccen tsari a cikin jirgin Dhoni na gargajiya, yana kai wannan ƙwarewa zuwa dandalin duniya.

The Recognition

About the Kyautar A' Design Award ta Azurfa

Zanen Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Azurfa, wata karramawa mai tsananin daraja da ake bai wa zane-zane na matakin koli, masu kyau sosai kuma masu burgewa. Waɗanda suka lashe kyautar Azurfa ayyuka ne masu haske sosai da ƙirƙira mai yawa waɗanda ke nuna ƙwarewa, baiwa da kaifin tunanin masu zanensu. Ana sa ran zanen Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo ya zama aiki mai ban mamaki, abin koyi, mai ƙwarewa sosai kuma mai ƙirƙire-ƙirƙire mai zurfi. Wannan zane da ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Azurfa ƙirƙira ce mai abin lura sosai, da ake sha'awa, wacce ke amfanar da kuma kai iyakokin fasaha, kimiyya, zane da fasahar zamani gaba. Zanen Maldivian Fishermen Ayyuka na Farko: Bidiyo ƙirƙira ce da ake yi wa hassada sosai wacce ke tada sha'awa, tana kawo jin daɗi kuma tana haifar da mamaki da al'ajabi.

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