Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video by Aishath Naajila is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Filamu, Video na Uhuishaji Competition Category.
FedhaFilamu· 2026
Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video
Client: Two Thousand Isles
Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award Winner in Filamu Category
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The Design
About Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video
Andiko la Kitabu: Filamu ya Wavuvi wa Kimaldivi inaonyesha uvuvi wa jadi wa jodari kwa kutumia fimbo moja na ndoana katika visiwa vya Maldives, njia endelevu ambayo mara nyingi huelezwa kama uhai wa taifa hili la kisiwa. Kwa vizazi vingi, jodari imekuwa chakula kikuu kinachoendeleza maisha ya kila siku katika visiwa vyote. Kwa kutumia mtindo wa usimuliaji wa hadithi wenye picha za kisinema na muundo wa sauti unaovutia, mradi huu unanasa wavuvi wenye ujuzi wakifanya kazi kwa mdundo ulioratibiwa ndani ya Dhoni ya jadi, ukileta uzoefu huu katika jukwaa la kimataifa.
The Recognition
About the Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award
Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima kubwa ya ajabu unaotolewa kwa miundo ya hali ya juu kabisa, ya kupendeza na ya kuvutia. Washindi wa Fedha ni kazi zinazong'aa mno na bunifu kupita kiasi zinazoonyesha utaalamu bora, kipaji na busara ya wabunifu wao. Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video inatarajiwa kuwa kazi nzuri ya kuigwa ambayo ni ya kitaalamu kwa kiasi kikubwa na yenye ubunifu wa kina. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award ni uvumbuzi unaojulikana sana na kupendwa, unaonufaisha na kupanua mipaka ya sanaa, sayansi, usanifu na teknolojia. Maldivian Fishermen Kazi Kuu: Video ni kazi inayotamaniwa mno inayochochea hamu, huleta hisia chanya na huzua mshangao na mastaajabu.
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
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