Morteza Atash-Zamzam is in the process of making a feature film on the desiccation of Zayandehroud, the largest river in Iran’s central plateau.
Zayandehroud originates in the mountains of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province and flows eastward toward Isfahan before ending up in Gavkhouni Wetland.
Titled “Simin,” the film will address children and young adults and deals with the reasons behind the drought in the Zayandehroud basin. Unrestrained urbanization, outdated and costly farming practices and the presence of water-intensive industries such as Mobarakeh Steel Company have put mounting pressure on the dwindling water resources of the basin, Azad News Agency reported on its Persian website.
Atash-Zamzam funds the film himself. Presently, he is completing the cast and crew of the project.
A major part of the film is set in the proximity of Zayandehroud and Gavkhouni Wetland which is the terminal basin of the once mighty river. Gavkhouni is one of Iran’s 22 wetlands registered with the Ramsar Convention and is home to migratory birds in winter.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in the Caspian city of Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, to provide a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and judicious use of wetlands and their resources. Simin is based on Atash-Zamzam’s 2014 documentary “The River That Was Killed” which revolves around Zayandehroud and how the river ended up in a state of extreme dryness.
The documentary explores the decline of the river and the impact of the drought on Isfahan’s natural environment and its apparent consequences such as dust storms and subsidence. It also covers other affected aspects in the ancient and tourist city including its cultural heritage and livelihood of the people, in particular farmers.
